< Acts 13 >
1 Now, there were in the congregation that was at Antioch, certain prophets and teachers; particularly, Barnabas, and Simeon, who was called Niger, and Lucius, the Cyrenian, and Manaen, who was educated with Herod, the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate to me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them.
3 And having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them; they dismissed them.
4 They, therefore, being sent by the Holy Spirit, departed to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus;
5 and being arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John for their attendant.
6 And having traversed the island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain Jew, a magician and false prophet, whose name was Barjesus;
7 who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who calling for Barnabas and Saul desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas, the magician, (for that was his name, when translated, ) withstood them, endeavoring to turn away the proconsul from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who is also called Paul, ) being filled with the Holy Spirit, and looking steadfastly upon him,
10 said, O! full of all deceit, and of all wickedness! child of the devil! enemy of all righteousness! will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And, behold, now the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, and not see the sun for a time. And, immediately, a mist and darkness fell upon him; and going about, he sought some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the proconsul, seeing what was done, believed; being struck with the doctrine of the Lord.
13 And loosing from Paphos, they who were with Paul, came to Perga, in Pamphylia; but John withdrew himself from them, and returned to Jerusalem.
14 Nevertheless, they, going on from Perga, came to Antioch, in Pisidia: and entering into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, they sat down.
15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets; the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation to the people, speak it.
16 Then Paul stood up, and waiving his hand, said, Men of Israel, and you that fear God, hearken.
17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and raised the people while sojourning in the land of Egypt; and led them out of it with an uplifted arm.
18 And for a space of about forty years, he endured their behavior in the wilderness.
19 And having cast out seven nations in the land of Canaan, he distributed their country to them for an inheritance.
20 And after these transactions, which lasted about four hundred and fifty years' he gave them judges, till Samuel the prophet.
21 And, from that time, they desired a king: and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for the term of forty years.
22 And, having removed him, he raised up to them David, for a king; whom also he extolled, and said, "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man according to my own heart, who shall do all my will."
23 Of this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up to Israel, Jesus, the Saviour;
24 John having, to introduce his appearance, before he preached the immersion of reformation to all the people of Israel.
25 And when John was fulfilling his course, he said, Whom do you imagine me to be? I am not He; but behold, there comes one after me, the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.
26 Brethren, children of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God; to you is the word of this salvation sent:
27 for the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and their rulers, not knowing him, nor the sayings of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath day; have fulfilled them in condemning him.
28 And though they could find no cause of death in him; yet they requested Pilate that he might be executed.
29 And when they had accomplished all things that were written concerning him; taking him down from the cross, they laid him in a tomb.
30 But God raised him up from the dead:
31 and he appeared for several days to those that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.
32 And we bring you good tidings, that the very promise which was made to the fathers,
33 God has accomplished to us, their children, in raising up Jesus: as it is also written in the second Psalm, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee."
34 And because he has raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus, "I will give you the sure mercies of David."
35 Wherefore, also, in another place he says, "Thou wilt not permit thy Holy One to see corruption."
36 Now David, having served his own generation according to the will of God; fell asleep, and was gathered to his fathers, and saw corruption.
37 But he whom God raised up, did not see corruption.
38 Be it known, therefore, to you, brethren, that by Him remission of sins is proclaimed to you:
39 and by Him, every one that believes is justified from all things; from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 See to it, therefore, that what is spoken in the prophets may not come upon you:
41 "Behold, you despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I perform a work in your days; a work which you will not believe, though one should distinctly declare it to you."
42 Now, when going out, they requested that these words might be spoken to them, on the following Sabbath.
43 And when the synagogue was broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, persuaded them to persevere in the favor of God.
44 And, on the following Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together, to hear the word of God.
45 But the Jews, seeing the multitudes, were filled with zeal; and opposed the things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and reviling.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas, with great freedom of speech, said, It was necessary, that the word of God should first be spoken to you; but since you thrust it away from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life; behold, we turn to the Gentiles. (aiōnios )
47 For so the Lord has charged us, saying, "I have set you for a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth."
48 And the Gentiles hearing this, rejoiced, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were disposed for eternal life, believed. (aiōnios )
49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all that region.
50 But the Jews stirred up some devout women of considerable rank, and the magistrates of the city; and raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their territories.
51 And they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
52 But the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.
