²³ Are they servants of Christ?^(A) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(B) been in prison more frequently,^(C) been flogged more severely,^(D) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(E) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(F) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(G) once I was pelted with stones,^(H) three times I was shipwrecked,^(I) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(J) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(K) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(L) 27} I have labored and toiled^(M) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(N) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(O) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(P) Who is led into sin,^(Q) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(R) of the things that show my weakness.^{(S) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(T) knows^(U) that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^{(V) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(W)

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.^(X) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations^(Y) from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ^(Z) who fourteen years ago was caught up^(AA) to the third heaven.^(AB) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.^{(AC) 3} And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up^(AD) to paradise^(AE) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.^{(AF) 6} Even if I should choose to boast,^(AG) I would not be a fool,^(AH) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(AI) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(AJ) a messenger of Satan,^(AK) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(AL) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(AM) is sufficient for you, for my power^(AN) is made perfect in weakness.^(AO)”^(AP) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(AQ) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(AR) in persecutions,^(AS) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(AT)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(AU) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[a](AV) even though I am nothing.^{(AW) 12} I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^(AX)

13 ¹ Now in the church at Antioch^(A) there were prophets^(B) and teachers:^(C) Barnabas,^(D) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,^(E) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod^(F) the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,^(G) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work^(H) to which I have called them.”^{(I) 3} So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them^(J) and sent them off.^(K)

On Cyprus

⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,^(L) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.^{(M) 5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God^(N) in the Jewish synagogues.^(O) John^(P) was with them as their helper.

⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer^(Q) and false prophet^(R) named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul,^(S) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer^(T) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul^(U) from the faith.^{(V) 9} Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(W) looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil^(X) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?^{(Y) 11} Now the hand of the Lord is against you.^(Z) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”^(AA)

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul^(AB) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

In Pisidian Antioch

¹³ From Paphos,^(AC) Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia,^(AD) where John^(AE) left them to return to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.^(AF) On the Sabbath^(AG) they entered the synagogue^(AH) and sat down.

³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,^(A) with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them^(B) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.

¹⁰ My fellow prisoner Aristarchus^(A) sends you his greetings, as does Mark,^(B) the cousin of Barnabas.^(C) (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) ¹¹ Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews^[a] among my co-workers^(D) for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.

¹¹ Only Luke^(A) is with me.^(B) Get Mark^(C) and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.

¹⁴ From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.^(A) On the Sabbath^(B) they entered the synagogue^(C) and sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading from the Law^(D) and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

¹⁶ Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand^(E) and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! ¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;^{(F) 18} for about forty years he endured their conduct^[a](G) in the wilderness;^{(H) 19} and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,^(I) giving their land to his people^(J) as their inheritance.^{(K) 20} All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges^(L) until the time of Samuel the prophet.^{(M) 21} Then the people asked for a king,^(N) and he gave them Saul^(O) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,^(P) who ruled forty years. ²² After removing Saul,^(Q) he made David their king.^(R) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;^(S) he will do everything I want him to do.’^(T)

²³ “From this man’s descendants^(U) God has brought to Israel the Savior^(V) Jesus,^(W) as he promised.^{(X) 24} Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.^{(Y) 25} As John was completing his work,^(Z) he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for.^(AA) But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’^(AB)

²⁶ “Fellow children of Abraham^(AC) and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation^(AD) has been sent. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus,^(AE) yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets^(AF) that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.^{(AG) 29} When they had carried out all that was written about him,^(AH) they took him down from the cross^(AI) and laid him in a tomb.^{(AJ) 30} But God raised him from the dead,^{(AK) 31} and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.^(AL) They are now his witnesses^(AM) to our people.

³² “We tell you the good news:^(AN) What God promised our ancestors^{(AO) 33} he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.^(AP) As it is written in the second Psalm:

³⁴ God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

³⁵ So it is also stated elsewhere:

³⁶ “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;^(AT) he was buried with his ancestors^(AU) and his body decayed. ³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead^(AV) did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.^{(AW) 39} Through him everyone who believes^(AX) is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.^{(AY) 40} Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue,^(A) the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.^(B)

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying^(C) and heaped abuse^(D) on him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first.^(E) Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.^{(F) 47} For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord;^(I) and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord^(J) spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.^{(K) 51} So they shook the dust off their feet^(L) as a warning to them and went to Iconium.^{(M) 52} And the disciples^(N) were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.^(O)