Acts 13
1 Among [the people in] the congregation at Antioch there were (prophets/those who spoke messages from God) and those who taught [people about Jesus. They were] Barnabas; Simeon, who was also called Niger/Blackman; Lucius, from Cyrene [city]; Manaen, who had grown up with [King] Herod [Antipas]; 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 worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said [to them], “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to [serve] me and to [go and do] the work that I have chosen them [to do]!”
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 So they continued (to fast/to abstain from eating food) and pray. Then having put their hands on Barnabas and Saul and [praying that God would help them], they sent them off [to do what the Holy Spirit had commanded].
So, after fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands, they let them go.
4 Barnabas and Saul, guided by the Holy Spirit, went down [from Antioch] to Seleucia [port]. From there they went by ship to Salamis [port on Cyprus Island].
They therefore, being thus sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleuceia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.
5 While they were in Salamis, [they went] to the Jewish meeting places. There they proclaimed the message from God [about Jesus]. John [Mark went with them and] was helping them.
Having reached Salamis, they began to announce God's Message in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as their assistant.
6 [The three of] them went across the entire island to Paphos [city]. There they met a magician whose name was Bar-Jesus. He was a Jew who falsely [claimed] (to be a prophet/to speak messages from God).
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 often accompanied the governor [of the island], Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor sent [someone] to ask Barnabas and Saul to come to him, because he wanted to hear God’s message. [So Barnabas and Saul came and told him about Jesus].
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 However, the magician, whose name was Elymas [in the Greek language], was opposing them. He repeatedly tried to persuade the governor not to believe [in Jesus].
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 Then Saul, who now called himself Paul, empowered by the Holy Spirit, looked intently at the magician and said,
Then Saul, who is also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, fixing his eyes on Elymas,
10 “You [(sg)] are serving the devil and you oppose everything that is good! You are always lying [to people] and doing [other] evil things to them. (You must stop saying that the truth about the Lord [God is a lot of lies!]/When will you stop changing what is true about the Lord [God and saying] what is not true about him?) [RHQ]
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 Right now the Lord [God] [MTY] is going to punish you! You will become blind and not [even] be able to see light for [some] time.” At once he became [blind, as though he was] in a dark mist, and he groped about, searching for someone [to hold him by the] hand and lead him.
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 had happened [to Elymas], he believed [in the Lord Jesus]. He was amazed by [what Paul and Barnabas] were teaching about the Lord [Jesus].
Then the Proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed, being struck with amazement at the teaching of the Lord.
13 [After that], Paul and the two men with him went by ship from Paphos to Perga [port] in Pamphylia [province. At Perga] John [Mark] left them and returned to [his home in] 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 Then Paul and Barnabas traveled [by land] from Perga, and arrived in Antioch [city] near Pisidia [district in Galatia province]. (On the Sabbath/On the Jewish rest day) they entered the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place and sat down.
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 [Someone] read [aloud] from what [Moses had written. Then someone read from what the other] prophets [had written] [MTY]. Then the leaders of the Jewish meeting place gave [someone this] note [to take] to Paul and Barnabas: “Fellow Jews, if [one of] you wants to speak to the people [here] to encourage them, please speak [to us(exc) now].”
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 So Paul stood up and motioned with his right hand [so that the people would listen to him]. Then he said, “Fellow Israelis and you [non-Jewish people] who [also] worship God, [please] 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 God, whom we [(inc)] Israelis worship, chose our ancestors [to be his people], and he caused them to become very numerous while they were foreigners living in Egypt. [Then after many years], God helped them [MTY] powerfully and led them out of there.
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 [Even though they repeatedly disobeyed him, he] cared for them for about 40 years [while they were] in the desert.
For a period of about forty years, He fed them, like a nurse, in the Desert.
19 He [enabled the Israelis] to conquer seven tribal groups [who were then living] in Canaan [region], and he gave their land to us Israelis for us to possess.
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 [Our ancestors began to possess Canaan] about 450 years after [their ancestors had arrived in Egypt].” Acts 13:20b-22 “After that, God appointed leaders [to rule the Israeli people. Those leaders continued to rule our people] until the time when the prophet Samuel [ruled them].
and afterwards He gave them judges down to the time of the Prophet Samuel.
21 Then, [while Samuel was still their leader], the people demanded that he [appoint] a king [to rule them. So] God appointed Saul, the son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, [to be their king]. He [ruled them] for 40 years.
Next they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a Benjamite, who reigned forty years.
22 After God had rejected Saul [from being king], he appointed David to be their king. God said about him, ‘I have observed that David, son of Jesse, is exactly the kind of man that I desire [IDM]. He will do [everything that] I want [him to do].’”
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 “From [among] David’s descendants, God brought one of them, Jesus, to [us] Israeli people to save us, just like he had told [David and our other ancestors] that he would do.
"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 began his work, John [the Baptizer] preached to all of our Israeli people [who came to him. He told them] that they should turn away from their sinful behavior [and ask God to forgive them. Then he] would baptize them.
Before the coming of Jesus, John had proclaimed to all the people of Israel a baptism of repentance.
25 When John was about to finish the work [that God gave him to do], he frequently said [to the people], ‘Do you think [RHQ] that I am [the Messiah whom God promised to send]? No, I am not. But listen! The Messiah will [soon] come. [He is so much greater than I am that] I am not [even] important enough to be his slave [MET].’”
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 “Fellow Israelis, you who are descendants of Abraham, and [you non-Jewish people who] also worship God, [please listen! It is] to [all of] us that [God] has sent the message about [how he] saves people.
"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 who were living in Jerusalem and their rulers did not realize that this man [Jesus was the one whom God had sent to save them]. Although messages from [MTY] the prophets have been read [aloud] {someone has read [aloud] messages from [MTY] the prophets} every (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest), they did not understand [what the prophets wrote about the Messiah. So] the [Jewish leaders] condemned Jesus [to die], which was just like the prophets predicted.
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 [Many people accused Jesus of doing wicked things], but they could not prove that he had done anything for which he deserved to die. They insistently asked Pilate [the governor] to command that Jesus be executed {to command soldiers to execute Jesus}. [So Pilate did what they asked him to do].
Without having found Him guilty of any capital offence they urged Pilate to have Him put to death;
29 They did [to Jesus] all the things that [the prophets long ago had] written [that people would do to] him. [They killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. Then] his body was taken {[some people took] his body} down from the cross and placed it 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 However, God (raised him from the dead/caused him to live again after he had died)
"But God raised Him from the dead.
31 and for many days he [repeatedly] appeared to [his followers] who had come along with him from Galilee [province] to Jerusalem. Those [who saw him] are telling the [Jewish] people about him now.”
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 “[Right] now we [two] are proclaiming to you this good message. We want to tell you that God has fulfilled what he promised to [our Jewish] ancestors!
And we bring you the Good News about the promise made to our forefathers,
33 He has now done that for us [(inc) who are] their descendants, [and also for you who are not Jews], by causing Jesus to live again. That is just like what [David] wrote in the second Psalm that [God said when he was sending his Son], You [(sg)] are my Son; Today I have shown everyone [that I really am] 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] has (raised [the Messiah] from the dead/caused [the Messiah] to live again after he had died) and will never let him die again. [Concerning that, God] said [to our Jewish ancestors], ‘I will surely help you, as I [promised] David [that I would do].’
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 So [in writing] another [Psalm, David] said this [to God about the Messiah]: ‘Because I am devoted to you and always obey [you, when I die] you [(sg)] will not let my body decay.’
Because in another Psalm also He says, 'Thou wilt not give up Thy Holy One to undergo decay.'
36 While David was living, he did what God wanted him to do. And when he died [EUP], his [body] was buried, [as] his ancestors’ [bodies had been buried], and his body decayed. [So he could not have been speaking about himself in this Psalm].
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 [Instead, he was speaking about Jesus. Jesus also died], but God (raised him from the dead/caused him to live again), and [therefore] his body did not decay.”
But He whom God raised to life underwent no decay.
38 “Therefore, [my] fellow Israelis [and other friends], it is important for you to know that [we(exc)] are declaring to you [that God] can forgive you for your sins as a result of [what] Jesus [has done]. Because of [what] Jesus [has done], [God] considers that everyone who believes [in Jesus] is no longer guilty (OR, the record has been erased {[God] has erased the record}) concerning everything that they [have done that displeased God. But] when [God] does [that for you], it is not as a result of [your obeying] the laws [that] Moses [wrote].
"Understand therefore, brethren, that through this Jesus forgiveness of sins is announced to you;
and in Him every believer is absolved from all offences, from which you could not be absolved under the Law of Moses.
40 Therefore be careful that [God] does not judge you [MTY], as one of the prophets said [MTY] that God would do!
Beware, then, lest what is spoken in the Prophets should come true of you:
41 [The prophet wrote that God said], You who ridicule [me], you will [certainly] be astonished [when you see what I am doing], and [then] you will be destroyed. You will be astonished because I will do something [terrible to you] while you are living. You would not believe [that I would do that] even though 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 After Paul [finished speaking], while he and Barnabas were leaving the Jewish meeting place, [many of] the people there repeatedly requested that on the next (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest) [the two of them] should speak to them [again] about those things [that Paul had just told them].
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 they began to leave [that meeting], many [of them] went along with Paul and Barnabas. They consisted of Jews and also of non-Jews who had accepted the things that the Jews believe. Paul and Barnabas continued talking to them, and were urging them to continue [believing the message that] God kindly [forgives people’s sins because of what Jesus did].
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 On the next Jewish rest day, most of the [people in Antioch came to] the Jewish meeting place to hear [Paul and Barnabas] speak about the Lord [Jesus].
On the next Sabbath almost the whole population of the city came together to hear the Lord's Message.
45 But [the leaders of] [SYN] the Jews became extremely jealous, because they saw that large crowds of [non-Jewish people were coming to hear Paul and Barnabas. So] they began to contradict the things that Paul was saying [and also] to insult [him].
Seeing the crowds, the Jews, filled with angry jealousy, opposed Paul's statements and abused him.
46 Then, speaking very boldly, Paul and Barnabas said [to those Jewish leaders], “[We two] had to speak the message from God [about Jesus] to you [Jews] first [before we proclaim it to non-Jews, because God commanded us to do that. But] you are rejecting God’s message. [By doing that], you have shown that you are not worthy (to have eternal life/to live eternally [with God]). [Therefore], we are leaving [you, and now we] will go to the non-Jewish people [to tell them the message from God]. (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 [We are doing that also] because the Lord [God] has commanded us [to do it]. He said to us, ‘I have appointed you [to reveal things about me] to non-Jewish people [MET] that will be [like] a light to them. [I have appointed] you to tell people everywhere [MTY] in the world [about the one who came] to save [them].’”
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 While the non-Jewish people were listening [to those words], they began to rejoice, and they repeatedly said that the message about the Lord [Jesus] was wonderful. And all of the non-Jewish people whom [God] had chosen (to have eternal [life/to live eternally with God]) believed [the message about the Lord Jesus]. (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 [At that time, many of the believers] traveled around throughout that region. As they did that, they were proclaiming the message about the Lord [Jesus] [MTY].
So the Lord's Message spread through the whole district.
50 However, [some leaders of] [SYN] the Jews incited the most important men in the city, and [some] important/influential women who had accepted what the Jews believe, to oppose [Paul and Barnabas. So those non-Jewish people] incited [other people also] to persecute Paul and Barnabas. As a result they expelled the two men from their region.
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, [as the two apostles were leaving, they] shook the dust from their feet [to show those Jewish leaders that God had rejected them and would punish them. They left Antioch] and went to Iconium [city].
But they shook off the dust from their feet as a protest against them and came to Iconium;
52 Meanwhile, the believers [in Antioch] continued to rejoice greatly, and they continued to be completely controlled by the Holy Spirit.
and as for the disciples, they were more and more filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
