1 Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets
and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen
the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they served the
Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me,
for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they
sent them away. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to
Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they were at Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They had also
John as their attendant. 6 When they had gone through the island to
Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was
Bar Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of
understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the
word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by
interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the
faith. 9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,
fastened his eyes on him, 10 and said, “Full of all deceit and all
cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not
cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of
the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a
season!”
Immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness. He went around seeking
someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what
was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in
Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But they,
passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. 15 After the reading of the
law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying,
“Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people,
speak.”
16 Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and
you who fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people*1 chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as
aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.
18 For period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them
their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred fifty years.
20 After these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of
Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 When he had
removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified,
‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all
my will.’ 23 From this man’s seed, God has brought salvation*2 to Israel according to his
promise, 24 before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of
repentance to Israel.*3 25 As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do
you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me the
sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ 26 Brothers, children of
the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this
salvation is sent out to you. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and
their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets
which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 Though
they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
29 When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they
took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him
from the dead, 31 and 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 We
bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33 that God has
fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it
is also written in the second psalm,
‘You are my Son.
Today I have become your father.’
34 “Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return
to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure
blessings of David.’ 35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will
not allow your Holy One to see decay.’ 36 For David, after he had in his
own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his
fathers, and saw decay. 37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay.
38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers*4 , that through this man is proclaimed to you
remission of sins, 39 and 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 that come on you which is spoken in the
prophets:
41 ‘Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish;
For I work a work in your days,
A work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to
you.’”
42 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
synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed
Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace
of God. 44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to
hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were
filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul,
and blasphemed.
46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that
God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it
from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to
the Gentiles. 47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying,
‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles,
That you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”
48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of
God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 The Lord’s
word was spread abroad throughout all the region. 50 But the Jews stirred
up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred
up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their
borders. 51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and
came to Iconium. 52 The disciples were filled with joy with the Holy
Spirit.
1 TR, NU add
“Israel” 2 TR, NU
read “a Savior, Jesus” instead of “salvation” 3 TR, NU read “to all the people of Israel” instead
of “to Israel” 4 The word for “brothers”
here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers
and sisters” or “siblings.”
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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