Acts 13
1 There were prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
4 Sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus.
5 When they arrived in Salamis, they announced the word of God in the Jews’ synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.
6 After traveling across the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a man named Bar-Jesus, a Jewish magician and false prophet.
7 He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the magician—for that is how his name is translated—opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9 Then Saul, also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on him
10 and said, “You are full of every kind of deceit and wickedness, you son of the devil, enemy of all that is right! Will you never stop twisting the Lord’s straight paths?
11 Now the Lord’s hand is against you. You will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” At once, mist and darkness fell over him, and he went about looking for someone to lead him by the hand.
12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, astonished at the Lord’s teaching.
13 Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
14 They left Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.”
16 Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Israelites, and you who fear God, listen.
17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt. With a mighty arm he brought them out of it.
18 For about forty years he put up with their ways in the wilderness.
19 After destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave their land to his people as an inheritance.
20 This took about 450 years. After that, he gave them judges until the prophet Samuel.
21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22 After removing him, God raised up David as their king. He testified about him, saying, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do everything I want.’
23 From this man’s descendants, as he had promised, God brought Israel a Savior, Jesus.
24 Before Jesus came, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 As John was completing his work, he would say, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But look, someone is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’”
26 “Brothers, children of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God: the message of this salvation has been sent to us.
27 For the people of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize him. They also did not recognize the words of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath; by condemning him, they fulfilled them.
28 Though they found no cause for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
29 When they had carried out everything written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
30 But God raised him from the dead.
31 For many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people.
32 And we bring you the good news: the promise made to our ancestors,
33 God has fulfilled it for us, their children, by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second psalm: ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’
34 As for raising him from the dead, never to return to decay, God said this: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’
35 That is why he also says elsewhere: ‘You will not let your Holy One see decay.’
36 For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, was gathered to his ancestors, and saw decay.
37 But the one God raised did not see decay.
38 So, brothers, know this: through him the forgiveness of sins is being announced to you.
39 Through him, everyone who believes is set right.
40 So be careful that what the Prophets spoke about does not happen to you:
41 ‘Look, you who scoff, be astonished and vanish! For I am doing a work in your days, a work you would never believe, even if someone told you about it.’”
42 As they were leaving, the people urged them to speak about these things to them on the next Sabbath.
43 When the synagogue meeting ended, many Jews and devout converts followed Paul and Barnabas. As they spoke with them, Paul and Barnabas urged them to remain in the grace of God.
44 On the next Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of God.
45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and contradicted what Paul was saying, speaking abusively.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly: “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, look, we are turning to the Gentiles.
47 For this is what the Lord commanded us: ‘I have appointed you as a light for the nations, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord. And all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49 The word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region.
50 But the Jews stirred up devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their territory.
51 So they shook the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
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