Old/New Testament

13 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen who grew up with Herod the ruler, and Saul.

² They were worshipping the Lord and fasting [not eating food for a time]. The Holy Spirit said, `Give me Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have called them.'

³ The men fasted and talked to God. Then they laid their hands on Barnabas and Paul and sent them on their way.

⁴ Barnabas and Saul left Antioch. The Holy Spirit sent them to the town of Seleucia. From there they went in a boat to the island of Cyprus.

⁵ When they reached the town of Salamis, they told God's word in the meeting places of the Jews. John was with them to help.

⁶ They went through all the island to the town of Paphos. There they met a witch doctor. He was a Jew named Bar-Jesus. He was not a true prophet.

⁷ This witch-doctor was with Sergius Paulus, the ruler of the country. Sergius Paulus was a wise man. He wanted to hear God's word, so he called for Barnabas and Saul.

⁸ The witch-doctor was also called Elymas. He tried to stop them. He did not want the ruler to believe the truth.

⁹ Then Saul, who is also called Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, looked at him.

¹⁰ `You son of the devil!' he said. `You do nothing but tell lies and make much trouble. You hate everything that is right. The Lord's way is right. Will you not stop spoiling his way?

¹¹ See now, the Lord's hand is upon you. You will be blind and will not be able to see the sun for a while.' And right then something like a dark cloud came over Elymas' eyes. He went around begging someone to take his hand and lead him.

¹² The ruler saw what had happened. And he was very much surprised at the teaching about the Lord. He believed it.

¹³ Paul and his friends left Paphos in a boat. They went to the town of Perga in the district of Pamphylia. There John left them and went back to Jerusalem.

¹⁴ The others went on from Perga. They came to Antioch in the district of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the meeting house and sat down.

¹⁵ First, someone read from the books of the law and the prophets. Then the rulers of the meeting house called Paul and Barnabas and said, `Men and brothers, have you something to say that will help us? Please say it.'

¹⁶ Then Paul stood up and put out his hand. He said, `Men of Israel and you who worship and fear God, please listen to me.

¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made the people into a large tribe when they were strangers in the land of Egypt. God brought them out of Egypt by his power.

¹⁸ For forty years in the wilderness God cared for them like a father.

¹⁹ God took seven tribes out of the land of Canaan. Then he divided the land among our people.

²⁰ God gave judges to rule over them until Samuel the prophet came. About four hundred and fifty years had passed.

²¹ Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul. He was the son of Kish, a man from Benjamin's family. Saul was their king for forty years.

²² Then God took him away. He made David king over them. This is what God said about him, "David, Jesse's son, is the kind of man I love. He will do all that I want him to do."

²³ God has given Israel a Saviour from David's family, as he promised to do. His name is Jesus.

²⁴ Before he came, John [the baptiser] talked to all the people of Israel. He said they should stop doing wrong things and be baptised.

²⁵ When John was finishing his work, he said, "Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But wait, someone else will come after me. I am not good enough to untie his shoe strings."