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,

²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus,^(A) yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets^(B) that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.^{(C) 29} When they had carried out all that was written about him,^(D) they took him down from the cross^(E) and laid him in a tomb.^{(F) 30} But God raised him from the dead,^{(G) 31} and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.^(H) They are now his witnesses^(I) to our people.

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

³⁸ “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.^{(A) 39} Through him everyone who believes^(B) is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.^(C)

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)

In Iconium

14 At Iconium^(A) Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue.^(B) There they spoke so effectively that a great number^(C) of Jews and Greeks believed. ² But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.^{(D) 3} So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly^(E) for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.^{(F) 4} The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.^{(G) 5} There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews,^(H) together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them.^{(I) 6} But they found out about it and fled^(J) to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, ⁷ where they continued to preach^(K) the gospel.^(L)

In Lystra and Derbe

⁸ In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth^(M) 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^{(N) 10} and called out, “Stand up on your feet!”^(O) At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.^(P)

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!”^{(Q) 12} Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.^{(R) 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^(S) and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: ¹⁵ “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human,^(T) like you. We are bringing you good news,^(U) telling you to turn from these worthless things^(V) to the living God,^(W) who made the heavens and the earth^(X) and the sea and everything in them.^{(Y) 16} In the past, he let^(Z) all nations go their own way.^{(AA) 17} Yet he has not left himself without testimony:^(AB) He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;^(AC) he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”^{(AD) 18} Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.