Acts 13
Christian Standard Bible
Preparing for the Mission Field
13 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch,(A) and Saul.
2 As they were worshiping[a] the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”(B) 3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.(C)
The Mission to Cyprus
4 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.(D) 6 When they had traveled the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.(E) 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.(F) 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (that is the meaning of his name) opposed(G) them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.(H)
9 But Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at Elymas 10 and said, “You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery, you son of the devil(I) and enemy of all that is right. Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths(J) of the Lord? 11 Now, look, the Lord’s hand is against you.(K) You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
12 Then, when he saw what happened, the proconsul believed, because he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.(L)
Paul’s Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia
13 Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and went back to Jerusalem.(M) 14 They continued their journey from Perga and reached Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.(N) 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”(O)
16 Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites, and you who fear God, listen!(P) 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, made the people prosper during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty[b] arm.(Q) 18 And for about forty years he put up with them[c] in the wilderness;(R) 19 and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan,(S) he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20 This all took about 450 years. After this, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.(T) 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.(U) 22 After removing him,(V) he raised up David as their king and testified about him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart,[d](W) who will carry out all my will.’
23 “From this man’s descendants, as he promised, God brought to Israel(X) the Savior, Jesus.[e] 24 Before his coming to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.(Y) 25 Now as John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’(Z)
26 “Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent.(AA) 27 Since the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him or the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they have fulfilled their words by condemning him.(AB) 28 Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed.(AC) 29 When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb.(AD) 30 But God raised him from the dead,(AE) 31 and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.(AF) 32 And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors.(AG) 33 God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm:
34 As to his raising him from the dead, never to return to decay, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure promises of David.[h](AI) 35 Therefore he also says in another passage, You will not let your Holy One see decay.[i](AJ) 36 For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep,(AK) was buried with his fathers, and decayed,(AL) 37 but the one God raised up did not decay. 38 Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you.(AM) 39 Everyone who believes is justified[j] through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.(AN) 40 So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you:
41 Look, you scoffers,
marvel and vanish away,
because I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will never believe,
even if someone were to explain it to you.”[k](AO)
Paul and Barnabas in Antioch
42 As they were leaving, the people[l] urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God.(AP)
44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord.[m] 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.(AQ)
46 Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.(AR) 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.(AT) 51 But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet(AU) against them(AV) and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.(AW)
Footnotes
- 13:2 Or were ministering to
- 13:17 Lit with an uplifted
- 13:18 Other mss read he cared for them
- 13:22 1Sm 13:14; Ps 89:20
- 13:23 Other mss read brought salvation
- 13:33 Or I have begotten you
- 13:33 Ps 2:7
- 13:34 Is 55:3
- 13:35 Ps 16:10
- 13:39 Or freed, also later in this verse
- 13:41 Hab 1:5
- 13:42 Other mss read they were leaving the synagogue of the Jews, the Gentiles
- 13:44 Other mss read of God
- 13:47 Is 49:6
Acts 13
Lexham English Bible
Barnabas and Saul Sent Out from Antioch
13 Now there were prophets and teachers in Antioch in the church that was there: Barnabas, and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul. 2 And while[a] they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart now for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, after they[b] had fasted and prayed and placed their[c] hands on them, they sent them[d] away.
Confronting a Magician on Cyprus
4 Therefore, sent out by the Holy Spirit, they came down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed away to Cyprus. 5 And when they[e] came to Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they also had John as assistant. 6 And when they[f] had crossed over the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and[g] wished to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for his name is translated in this way) opposed them, attempting to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul (also called Paul), filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and[h] said, “O you who are full of all deceit and of all unscrupulousness, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness! Will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord! 11 And now behold, the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a while.[i] And immediately mist and darkness fell over him, and he was going around looking for people[j] to lead him[k] by the hand. 12 Then when[l] the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, because he[m] was astounded at the teaching about[n] the Lord.
Preaching in the Synagogue at Pisidian Antioch
13 Now Paul and his companions[o] put out to sea from Paphos and[p] came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John departed from them and[q] returned to Jerusalem. 14 And they went on from Perga and[r] arrived at Pisidian Antioch. And they entered into the synagogue on the day of the Sabbath and[s] sat down. 15 So after the reading from the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent word[t] to them, saying, “Men and brothers, if there is any message of exhortation by you for the people, say it.”[u]
16 So Paul stood up,[v] and motioning with his[w] hand, he said, “Israelite men, and those who fear God, listen! 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people during their[x] stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18 And for a period of time of about forty years, he put up with them in the wilderness. 19 And after[y] destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave their land to his people[z] as an inheritance. 20 This took[aa] about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things, he gave them[ab] judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 And 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 And after[ac] removing him, he raised up David for their king, about whom he also said, testifying, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man in accordance with my heart, who will carry out all my will.’[ad] 23 From the descendants of this man, according to his promise, God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus. 24 Before his coming[ae] John had publicly proclaimed[af] a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 But while John was completing his[ag] mission, he said, ‘What do you suppose me to be? I am not he! But behold, one is coming after me of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of his[ah] feet!’
26 “Men and brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who fear God—to us the message of this salvation has been sent! 27 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they[ai] did not recognize this one, and the voices of the prophets that are read on every Sabbath, fulfilled them[aj] by[ak] condemning him.[al] 28 And although they[am] found no charge worthy of death, they asked Pilate that he be executed. 29 And when they had carried out all the things that were written about him, they took him[an] down from the tree and[ao] placed him[ap] in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 who appeared for many days to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem—who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we proclaim the good news to you: that the promise that was made to the fathers, 33 this promise[aq] God has fulfilled to our children[ar] by[as] raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second psalm,
‘You are my Son;
today I have fathered you.’[at]
34 But that he has raised him from the dead, no more going to return to decay, he has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the reliable divine decrees of David.’[au] 35 Therefore he also says in another psalm,[av]
‘You will not permit your Holy One to experience decay.’[aw]
36 For David, after[ax] serving the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was buried with[ay] his fathers, and experienced decay. 37 But he whom God raised up did not experience decay.
38 “Therefore let it be known to you, men and brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all the things from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses, 39 by this one everyone who believes is justified! 40 Watch out, therefore, lest what is stated by the prophets come upon you:[az]
41 ‘Look, you scoffers,
and be astonished and perish!
For I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you would never believe
even if someone were to tell it[ba] to you.’”[bb]
Response to the Message in Pisidian Antioch
42 And as[bc] they were going out, they began urging[bd] that these things be spoken about to them on the next Sabbath. 43 And after[be] the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the devout[bf] proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and[bg] were persuading them to continue in the grace of God. 44 And on the coming Sabbath, nearly the whole city came together to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when[bh] the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and began contradicting what was being said by Paul by[bi] reviling him.[bj] 46 Both Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly and[bk] said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you, since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life! Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles! 47 For so the Lord has commanded us:
‘I have appointed you to be[bl] a light for the Gentiles,
that you would bring[bm] salvation to the end of the earth.’[bn]
48 And when[bo] the Gentiles heard this,[bp] they began to rejoice[bq] and to glorify the word of the Lord. And all those who were designated for eternal life believed. 49 So the word of the Lord was carried through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high social standing and the most prominent men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their district. 51 So after[br] shaking off the dust from their feet against them, they went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes
- Acts 13:2 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were serving”)
- Acts 13:3 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had fasted”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:3 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 13:3 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:5 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:6 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had crossed over”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:7 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“summoned”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:10 Here “and” is supplied because the participle in the previous verse (“looked intently at”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:11 Literally “until the time”
- Acts 13:11 In Greek the direct object (“people”) is understood and must be supplied in the English translation; since the following noun is plural, “people” rather than “someone” is used here
- Acts 13:11 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:12 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:12 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was astounded”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 13:12 Here “about” reflects an objective genitive (“the Lord” is the object of the teaching)
- Acts 13:13 Literally “those around Paul”
- Acts 13:13 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“put out to sea”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:13 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“departed”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:14 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went on”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:14 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“entered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:15 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:15 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:16 *Here the participle (“stood up”) is translated as a finite verb because of English style
- Acts 13:16 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 13:17 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 13:19 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“destroying”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:19 The words “to his people” are supplied as a clarification of who received the land
- Acts 13:20 The words “This took” are not in the Greek text but are supplied in keeping with English style
- Acts 13:20 Here the indirect object “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied
- Acts 13:22 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“removing”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:22 A quotation from 1 Sam 13:14
- Acts 13:24 Literally “the presence of his coming”
- Acts 13:24 Here the participle (“had publicly proclaimed”) has been translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style
- Acts 13:25 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 13:25 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 13:27 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“did not recognize”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 13:27 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:27 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“condemning”) which is understood as means
- Acts 13:27 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:28 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the genitive absolute participle (“found”) which is understood as concessive
- Acts 13:29 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:29 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took … down”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:29 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:33 It is necessary to repeat the word “promise” from the previous verse for clarity here
- Acts 13:33 Some manuscripts have “to us their children”
- Acts 13:33 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“raising”) which is understood as means
- Acts 13:33 A quotation from Ps 2:7
- Acts 13:34 A quotation from Isa 55:3
- Acts 13:35 *The word “psalm” is not in the Greek text but is implied
- Acts 13:35 A quotation from Ps 16:10
- Acts 13:36 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“serving”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:36 Literally “was gathered to”
- Acts 13:40 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:41 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:41 A quotation from Hab 1:5
- Acts 13:42 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were going out”)
- Acts 13:42 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began urging”)
- Acts 13:43 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had broken up”)
- Acts 13:43 Or “God-fearing”
- Acts 13:43 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“were speaking to”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:45 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:45 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“reviling”) which is understood as means
- Acts 13:45 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:46 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“spoke boldly”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 13:47 Literally “for”
- Acts 13:47 Literally “that you would bring”
- Acts 13:47 An allusion to Isa 42:6; 49:6
- Acts 13:48 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 13:48 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 13:48 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to rejoice”)
- Acts 13:51 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“shaking off”) which is understood as temporal
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