Acts 13

1 The church at Antioch had prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (the childhood friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

Now there were in Antioch, in the Church there--as Prophets and teachers--barnabas, Symeon surnamed 'the black,' Lucius the Cyrenaean, Manaen (who was Herod the Tetrarch's foster-brother), and Saul.

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul to do the work I've called them to.”

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me, now at once, Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them."

3 After they had fasted, prayed, and placed their hands on them in blessing, they sent them on their way.

So, after fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands, they let them go.

4 So Barnabas and Saul, directed by the Holy Spirit, went to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.

They therefore, being thus sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleuceia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.

5 Arriving at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant.

Having reached Salamis, they began to announce God's Message in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as their assistant.

6 They traveled throughout the island and eventually came to Paphos. There they found a Jewish magician, a false prophet by the name of Bar-jesus.

When they had gone through the whole length of the island as far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magician and false prophet, Bar-Jesus by name,

7 He was close to the governor, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. Sergius Paulus invited Barnabas and Saul to come and visit him since he wanted to hear the word of God.

who was a friend of the Proconsul Sergius Paulus. The Proconsul was a man of keen intelligence. He sent for Barnabas and Saul, and asked to be told God's Message.

8 But the magician Elymas (his Greek name) opposed them, trying to prevent the governor from trusting in God.

But Elymas (or 'the Magician,' for such is the meaning of the name) opposed them, and tried to prevent the Proconsul from accepting the faith.

9 Saul, also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and looked straight at him.

Then Saul, who is also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, fixing his eyes on Elymas,

10 “You are full of deception and all kinds of evil, you son of the devil, you enemy of all that is right! Will you never give up perverting the Lord's true ways?

said, "You who are full of every kind of craftiness and unscrupulous cunning--you son of the Devil and foe to all that is right--will you never cease to misrepresent the straight paths of the Lord?

11 Look, the Lord's hand is on you and you will become blind. You will not see the sun for some time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell on him, and he had to find someone who could lead him by the hand.

The Lord's hand is now upon you, and you will be blind for a time and unable to see the light of day." Instantly there fell upon him a mist and a darkness, and, as he walked about, he begged people to lead him by the hand.

12 When the governor saw what happened he trusted in God, amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

Then the Proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed, being struck with amazement at the teaching of the Lord.

13 Then Paul and those with him sailed from Paphos and went to Perga in Pamphylia, while John left them and went back to Jerusalem.

From Paphos, Paul and his party put out to sea and sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem.

14 They went through Perga and on to Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and were seated.

But they themselves, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch in Pisidia. Here, on the Sabbath day, they went into the synagogue and sat down.

15 After the readings from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent them a message saying, “Brothers, please share with the congregation any words of encouragement you may have.”

After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the Wardens of the synagogue sent word to them. "Brethren," they said, "if you have anything encouraging to say to the people, speak."

16 Paul stood up, motioned with his hand to get their attention, and began speaking. “Men of Israel, and all of you who have reverence for God, listen to me.

So Paul rose, and motioning with his hand for silence, said, "Israelites, and you others who fear God, pay attention to me.

17 The God of the people of Israel chose our forefathers, and gave our people prosperity during their stay in the land of Egypt. Then with his mighty power he led them out of Egypt,

The God of this people of Israel chose our forefathers, and made the people great during their stay in Egypt, until with wondrous power He brought them out from that land.

18 and he patiently dealt with them in the desert for about forty years.

For a period of about forty years, He fed them, like a nurse, in the Desert.

19 After he had overthrown seven nations living in the land of Canaan, God divided their land among the Israelites and gave it to them to inherit. This took about four hundred and fifty years.

Then, after overthrowing seven nations in the land of Canaan, He divided that country among them as their inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years;

20 Then he provided them with judges as leaders until the time of the prophet Samuel.

and afterwards He gave them judges down to the time of the Prophet Samuel.

21 Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled for forty years.

Next they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a Benjamite, who reigned forty years.

22 Then God removed Saul, and made David their king. God approved of David, saying ‘I found David the son of Jesse to be a man according to my own heart; he will do everything I intend.’

After removing him, He raised up David to be their king, to whom He also bore witness when He said, "'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man I love, who will obey all My commands.'

23 Jesus is David's descendant; he is the Savior that God promised to bring to Israel.

"It is from among David's descendants that God, in fulfilment of His promise, has raised up a Saviour for Israel, even Jesus.

24 Before Jesus came, John announced the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

Before the coming of Jesus, John had proclaimed to all the people of Israel a baptism of repentance.

25 As John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one you're looking for. But after me one is coming whose sandals I'm not worthy to untie.’

But John, towards the end of his career, repeatedly asked the people, "'What do you suppose me to be? I am not the Christ. But there is One coming after me whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten.'

26 My brothers, children of Abraham and those of you who have reverence for God: the message of this salvation has been sent to us!

"Brethren, descendants of the family of Abraham, and all among you who fear God, to us has this Message of salvation been sent.

27 The people living in Jerusalem and their leaders didn't recognize Jesus or understand the words spoken by the prophets that are read every Sabbath. In fact they fulfilled the prophetic words by condemning him!

For the people of Jerusalem and their rulers, by the judgement they pronounced on Jesus, have actually fulfilled the predictions of the Prophets which are read Sabbath after Sabbath, through ignorance of those predictions and of Him.

28 Even though they couldn't find any evidence to sentence him to death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.

Without having found Him guilty of any capital offence they urged Pilate to have Him put to death;

29 After they had fulfilled everything predicted that they would do to him, they took him down from the cross and buried him in a tomb.

and when they had carried out everything which had been written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

30 But God raised him from the dead,

"But God raised Him from the dead.

31 and he appeared over the course of many days to those who had followed him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people.

And, after a few days, He appeared to the people who had gone up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem and are now witnesses concerning Him to the Jews.

32 We are here to bring to you the good news of the promise that God made to our forefathers,

And we bring you the Good News about the promise made to our forefathers,

33 that he has now fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus from the dead. As it is written in Psalm 2: ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’

that God has amply fulfilled it to our children in raising up Jesus; as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'Thou art My Son: to-day I have become Thy Father.'

34 God raised him from the dead, never to die again, as he indicated by saying, ‘I will give you what is holy and trustworthy, as I promised to David.’

And as to His having raised Him from among the dead, never again to be in the position of one soon to return to decay, He speaks thus: 'I will give you the holy and trustworthy promises made to David.'

35 As another psalm says, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’

Because in another Psalm also He says, 'Thou wilt not give up Thy Holy One to undergo decay.'

36 But David died, after he had done what God wanted in his own time, and he was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.

For David, after having been useful to his own generation in accordance with God's purpose, did fall asleep, was gathered to his forefathers, and did undergo decay.

37 The one God raised from the dead saw no decay.

But He whom God raised to life underwent no decay.

38 My brothers, I want you to understand that we're telling you that through this man sins are forgiven.

"Understand therefore, brethren, that through this Jesus forgiveness of sins is announced to you;

39 Through him everyone who trusts in him is made morally right from all that is wrong—in a way that you could never be set right by the law of Moses.

and in Him every believer is absolved from all offences, from which you could not be absolved under the Law of Moses.

40 Make sure that what the prophets said doesn't happen to you:

Beware, then, lest what is spoken in the Prophets should come true of you:

41 ‘You who are scornful, look in amazement, and die! For what I'm doing in your lifetime is something that you could never believe, even if someone told you!’”

'Behold, you despisers, be astonished and perish, because I am carrying on a work in your time--a work which you will utterly refuse to believe, though it be fully declared to you.'"

42 As they were leaving, the people pleaded with them to tell them more the next Sabbath.

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people earnestly begged to have all this repeated to them on the following Sabbath.

43 After the meeting in the synagogue, many of the Jews and the converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas who spoke with them, encouraging them to continue to hold on to the grace of God.

And, when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and of the devout converts from heathenism continued with Paul and Barnabas, who talked to them and urged them to hold fast to the grace of God.

44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town turned out to hear the word of God.

On the next Sabbath almost the whole population of the city came together to hear the Lord's Message.

45 However, when the Jews saw the crowds, they became extremely jealous, contradicting what Paul was saying and cursing him.

Seeing the crowds, the Jews, filled with angry jealousy, opposed Paul's statements and abused him.

46 So Paul and Barnabas spoke out strongly, saying “We had to speak the word of God to you first. But now that you're rejecting it—you're deciding that you're not worthy of eternal life—well now we're turning to the foreigners. (aiōnios g166)

Then, throwing off all reserve, Paul and Barnabas said, "We were bound to proclaim God's Message to you first. But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of the Life of the Ages--well, we turn to the Gentiles. (aiōnios g166)

47 That's what the Lord has told us to do: ‘I've made you a light to the foreigners, and through you salvation will go to the ends of the earth.’”

For such is the Lord's command to us. "'I have placed Thee,' He says of Christ, 'as a light to the Gentiles, in order that Thou mayest be a Saviour as far as the remotest parts of the earth.'"

48 When the foreigners heard this they were overjoyed, praising the Lord's word, and all those chosen for eternal life trusted in God. (aiōnios g166)

The Gentiles listened with delight and extolled the Lord's Message; and all who were pre-destined to the Life of the Ages believed. (aiōnios g166)

49 So God's word was spread throughout the region.

So the Lord's Message spread through the whole district.

50 But the Jews incited the prominent religious women and leaders of the city to persecute Paul and Barnabas, and had them expelled from their territory.

But the Jews influenced the gentlewomen of rank who worshipped with them, and also the leading men in the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the district.

51 So they shook the dust off their feet against them as a sign of protest, and went on to Iconium.

But they shook off the dust from their feet as a protest against them and came to Iconium;

52 And the believers continued to be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

and as for the disciples, they were more and more filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.