Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

²⁵ When Barnabas^(A) and Saul had finished their mission,^(B) they returned from^[a] Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.^(C) 13 ¹ Now in the church at Antioch^(D) there were prophets^(E) and teachers:^(F) Barnabas,^(G) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,^(H) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod^(I) the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,^(J) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work^(K) to which I have called them.”^{(L) 3} So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them^(M) and sent them off.^(N)

On Cyprus

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

⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer^(T) and false prophet^(U) named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul,^(V) 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^(W) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul^(X) from the faith.^{(Y) 9} Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(Z) looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil^(AA) 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?^{(AB) 11} Now the hand of the Lord is against you.^(AC) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”^(AD)

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

In Lystra and Derbe

⁸ In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth^(A) and had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed^{(B) 10} and called out, “Stand up on your feet!”^(C) At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.^(D)

¹¹ When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”^{(E) 12} Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.^{(F) 13} The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes^(G) and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: ¹⁵ “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human,^(H) like you. We are bringing you good news,^(I) telling you to turn from these worthless things^(J) to the living God,^(K) who made the heavens and the earth^(L) and the sea and everything in them.^{(M) 16} In the past, he let^(N) all nations go their own way.^{(O) 17} Yet he has not left himself without testimony:^(P) He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;^(Q) he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”^{(R) 18} Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ Then some Jews^(S) came from Antioch and Iconium^(T) and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul^(U) and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. ²⁰ But after the disciples^(V) had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

The Return to Antioch in Syria

²¹ They preached the gospel^(W) in that city and won a large number^(X) of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium^(Y) and Antioch, ²² strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.^(Z) “We must go through many hardships^(AA) to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. ²³ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders^[a](AB) for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting,^(AC) committed them to the Lord,^(AD) in whom they had put their trust. ²⁴ After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia,^{(AE) 25} and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

²⁶ From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch,^(AF) where they had been committed to the grace of God^(AG) for the work they had now completed.^{(AH) 27} On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them^(AI) and how he had opened a door^(AJ) of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.^(AK)