Acts 13:1-12

Modern English Version

Barnabas and Saul Commissioned

13 In the church that was in Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² As they worshipped the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

The Apostles Preach in Cyprus

⁴ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as an assistant.

⁶ When they had gone through the whole island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (which is his name by interpretation) opposed them, trying to divert the proconsul from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him and said, ¹⁰ “You son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness, full of deceit and of all fraud, will you not cease perverting the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ Now, look! The hand of the Lord is against you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.”

Immediately mist and darkness fell on him, and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed and was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.