Barnabas and Saul Commissioned

13 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a childhood friend of Herod the ruler,^[a] and Saul.^{(A) 2} While they were worshiping 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 fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.^(C)

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.^{(D) 5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And they had John also to assist them.^(E)

²⁶ “Brothers and sisters,^[a] you descendants of Abraham’s family and others who fear God, to us^[b] the message of this salvation has been sent. ²⁷ Because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they fulfilled those words by condemning him.^{(A) 28} Even though they found no cause for a sentence of death, they asked Pilate to have him killed.^{(B) 29} When they had carried out everything that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.^{(C) 30} But God raised him from the dead,^{(D) 31} and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now his witnesses to the people.^(E)

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe

⁸ In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been lame from birth.^{(A) 9} He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed,^{(B) 10} said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And the man^[a] sprang up and began to walk. ¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”^(C)

¹⁴ When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, ¹⁵ “People,^[a] why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.^{(A) 16} In past generations he allowed all peoples to follow their own ways,^{(B) 17} yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good, giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.”^{(C) 18} Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

¹⁹ But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.^{(D) 20} But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.^(E)