Acts 13
Good News Translation
Barnabas and Saul Are Chosen and Sent
13 In the church at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (called the Black), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (who had been brought up with Governor Herod[a]), and Saul. 2 While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, to do the work to which I have called them.”
3 They fasted and prayed, placed their hands on them, and sent them off.
In Cyprus
4 Having been sent by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went to Seleucia and sailed from there to the island of Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues. They had John Mark with them to help in the work.
6 They went all the way across the island to Paphos, where they met a certain magician named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who claimed to be a prophet. 7 He was a friend of the governor of the island, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor called Barnabas and Saul before him because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But they were opposed by the magician Elymas (that is his name in Greek), who tried to turn the governor away from the faith. 9 Then Saul—also known as Paul—was filled with the Holy Spirit; he looked straight at the magician 10 and said, “You son of the Devil! You are the enemy of everything that is good. You are full of all kinds of evil tricks, and you always keep trying to turn the Lord's truths into lies! 11 The Lord's hand will come down on you now; you will be blind and will not see the light of day for a time.”
At once Elymas felt a dark mist cover his eyes, and he walked around trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the governor saw what had happened, he believed; for he was greatly amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
In Antioch in Pisidia
13 Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos and came to Perga, a city in Pamphylia, where John Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem. 14 They went on from Perga and arrived in Antioch in Pisidia, and on the Sabbath they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law of Moses and from the writings of the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message: “Friends, we want you to speak to the people if you have a message of encouragement for them.” 16 Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak:
“Fellow Israelites and all Gentiles here who worship God: hear me! 17 (A)The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors and made the people a great nation during the time they lived as foreigners in Egypt. God brought them out of Egypt by his great power, 18 (B)and for forty years he endured[b] them in the desert. 19 (C)He destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and made his people the owners of the land. 20 (D)All of this took about 450 years.
“After this[c] he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 21 (E)And when they asked for a king, God gave them Saul son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, to be their king for forty years. 22 (F)After removing him, God made David their king. This is what God said about him: ‘I have found that David son of Jesse is the kind of man I like, a man who will do all I want him to do.’ 23 It was Jesus, a descendant of David, whom God made the Savior of the people of Israel, as he had promised. 24 (G)Before Jesus began his work, John preached to all the people of Israel that they should turn from their sins and be baptized. 25 (H)And as John was about to finish his mission, he said to the people, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one you are waiting for. But listen! He is coming after me, and I am not good enough to take his sandals off his feet.’
26 “My fellow Israelites, descendants of Abraham, and all Gentiles here who worship God: it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent! 27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not know that he is the Savior, nor did they understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Yet they made the prophets' words come true by condemning Jesus. 28 (I)And even though they could find no reason to pass the death sentence on him, they asked Pilate to have him put to death. 29 (J)And after they had done everything that the Scriptures say about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from death, 31 (K)and for many days he appeared to those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now witnesses for him to the people of Israel. 32-33 (L)And we are here to bring the Good News to you: what God promised our ancestors he would do, he has now done for us, who are their descendants, by raising Jesus to life. As it is written in the second Psalm,
‘You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.’
34 (M)And this is what God said about raising him from death, never to rot away in the grave:
‘I will give you the sacred and sure blessings
that I promised to David.’
35 (N)As indeed he says in another passage,
‘You will not allow your faithful servant to rot in the grave.’
36 For David served God's purposes in his own time, and then he died, was buried with his ancestors, and his body rotted in the grave. 37 But this did not happen to the one whom God raised from death. 38-39 All of you, my fellow Israelites, are to know for sure that it is through Jesus that the message about forgiveness of sins is preached to you; you are to know that everyone who believes in him is set free from all the sins from which the Law of Moses could not set you free. 40 Take care, then, so that what the prophets said may not happen to you:[d]
41 (O)‘Look, you scoffers! Be astonished and die!
For what I am doing today
is something that you will not believe,
even when someone explains it to you!’”
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to come back the next Sabbath and tell them more about these things. 43 After the people had left the meeting, Paul and Barnabas were followed by many Jews and by many Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism. The apostles spoke to them and encouraged them to keep on living in the grace of God.
44 The next Sabbath nearly everyone in the town came to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; they disputed what Paul was saying and insulted him. 46 But Paul and Barnabas spoke out even more boldly: “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we will leave you and go to the Gentiles. 47 (P)For this is the commandment that the Lord has given us:
‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
so that all the world may be saved.’”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the Lord's message; and those who had been chosen for eternal life became believers.
49 The word of the Lord spread everywhere in that region. 50 But the Jews stirred up the leading men of the city and the Gentile women of high social standing who worshiped God. They started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their region. 51 (Q)The apostles shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went on to Iconium. 52 The believers in Antioch were full of joy and the Holy Spirit.
Notas al pie
- Acts 13:1 Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee (see Lk 3.1).
- Acts 13:18 he endured; some manuscripts have he took care of.
- Acts 13:20 All of this took about 450 years. After this; or Some 450 years later.
- Acts 13:40 Some manuscripts do not have to you.
Acts 13
New King James Version
Paul and Barnabas Are Sent to the Gentiles
13 Now (A)in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: (B)Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, (C)Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, (D)“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work (E)to which I have called them.” 3 Then, (F)having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
Preaching in Cyprus
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to (G)Cyprus. 5 And when they arrived in Salamis, (H)they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had (I)John as their assistant.
6 Now when they had gone through [a]the island to Paphos, they found (J)a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew 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 (K)Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) [b]withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, (L)filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, (M)you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, indeed, (N)the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.”
And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
At Antioch in Pisidia
13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and (O)John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. 14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and (P)went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 And (Q)after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have (R)any word of [c]exhortation for the people, say on.”
16 Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and (S)you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people [d]Israel (T)chose our fathers, and exalted the people (U)when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with [e]an uplifted arm He (V)brought them out of it. 18 Now (W)for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. 19 And when He had destroyed (X)seven nations in the land of Canaan, (Y)He distributed their land to them by allotment.
20 “After that (Z)He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, (AA)until Samuel the prophet. 21 (AB)And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them (AC)Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And (AD)when He had removed him, (AE)He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, (AF)‘I have found David the son of Jesse, (AG)a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 (AH)From this man’s seed, according (AI)to the promise, God raised up for Israel (AJ)a[f] Savior—Jesus— 24 (AK)after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, (AL)‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, (AM)there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’
26 “Men and brethren, sons of the [g]family of Abraham, and (AN)those among you who fear God, (AO)to you the [h]word of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, (AP)because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. 28 (AQ)And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. 29 (AR)Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, (AS)they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30 (AT)But God raised Him from the dead. 31 (AU)He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. 32 And we declare to you glad tidings—(AV)that promise which was made to the fathers. 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:
(AW)‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.’
34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to [i]corruption, He has spoken thus:
35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm:
(AY)‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’
36 “For David, after he had served [k]his own generation by the will of God, (AZ)fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and [l]saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up [m]saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that (BA)through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and (BB)by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40 Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:
41 ‘Behold,(BC) you despisers,
Marvel and perish!
For I work a work in your days,
A work which you will by no means believe,
Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”
Blessing and Conflict at Antioch
42 [n]So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 43 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, (BD)persuaded them to continue in (BE)the grace of God.
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they (BF)opposed the things spoken by Paul. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, (BG)“It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but (BH)since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, (BI)we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us:
(BJ)‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. (BK)And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. 50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, (BL)raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 (BM)But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. 52 And the disciples (BN)were filled with joy and (BO)with the Holy Spirit.
Notas al pie
- Acts 13:6 NU the whole island
- Acts 13:8 opposed
- Acts 13:15 encouragement
- Acts 13:17 M omits Israel
- Acts 13:17 Mighty power
- Acts 13:23 M salvation, after
- Acts 13:26 stock
- Acts 13:26 message
- Acts 13:34 the state of decay
- Acts 13:34 blessings
- Acts 13:36 in his
- Acts 13:36 underwent decay
- Acts 13:37 underwent no decay
- Acts 13:42 Or And when they went out of the synagogue of the Jews; NU And when they went out, they begged
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
