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. ¹⁵ After the reading from the Law^(AI) 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^(AJ) 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;^{(AK) 18} for about forty years he endured their conduct^[a](AL) in the wilderness;^{(AM) 19} and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,^(AN) giving their land to his people^(AO) as their inheritance.^{(AP) 20} All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges^(AQ) until the time of Samuel the prophet.^{(AR) 21} Then the people asked for a king,^(AS) and he gave them Saul^(AT) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,^(AU) who ruled forty years. ²² After removing Saul,^(AV) he made David their king.^(AW) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;^(AX) he will do everything I want him to do.’^(AY)

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