Barnabas and Saul sent to minister

13 The church at Antioch included prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (nicknamed Niger), Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen (a childhood friend of Herod the ruler), and Saul. ² As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to the work I have called them to undertake.” ³ After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on these two and sent them off.

Serving in Cyprus

⁴ After the Holy Spirit sent them on their way, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ In Salamis they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant. ⁶ They traveled throughout the island until they arrived at Paphos. There they found a certain man named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who was a false prophet and practiced sorcery. ⁷ He kept company with the governor of that province, an intelligent man named Sergius Paulus. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul since he wanted to hear God’s word. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer^[a] (for that’s what people understood his name meant) opposed them, trying to steer the governor away from the faith. ⁹ Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Saul, also known as Paul, glared at Bar-Jesus and ¹⁰ said, “You are a deceiver and trickster! You devil! You attack anything that is right! Will you never stop twisting the straight ways of the Lord into crooked paths? ¹¹ Listen! The Lord’s power is set against you. You will be blind for a while, unable even to see the daylight.” At once, Bar-Jesus’ eyes were darkened, and he began to grope about for someone to lead him around by the hand. ¹² When the governor saw what had taken place, he came to believe, for he was astonished by the teaching about the Lord.

Returning to Antioch

²¹ Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the good news to the people in Derbe and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, where ²² they strengthened the disciples and urged them to remain firm in the faith. They told them, “If we are to enter God’s kingdom, we must pass through many troubles.” ²³ They appointed elders for each church. With prayer and fasting, they committed these elders to the Lord, in whom they had placed their trust.

²⁴ After Paul and Barnabas traveled through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ They proclaimed the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia. ²⁶ From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been entrusted by God’s grace to the work they had now completed. ²⁷ On their arrival, they gathered the church together and reported everything that God had accomplished through their activity, and how God had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. ²⁸ They stayed with the disciples a long time.