[1] Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers,
Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyre'ne, Man'a-en a member
of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. [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." [3] Then after
fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. [4]
So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleu'cia; and
from there they sailed to Cyprus. [5] When they arrived at Sal'amis, they
proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John
to assist them. [6] When they had gone through the whole island as far as
Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named
Bar-Jesus. [7] He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of
intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of
God. [8] But El'ymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name)
withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith. [9] But
Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently
at him [10] and said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all
righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making
crooked the straight paths of the Lord? [11] And now, behold, the hand of
the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and unable to see the sun for
a time." Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him and he went about
seeking people to lead him by the hand. [12] Then the proconsul believed,
when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the
Lord. [13] Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga
in Pamphyl'ia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem; [14] but they
passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisid'ia. And on the sabbath
day they went into the synagogue and sat down. [15] After the reading of
the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying,
"Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."
[16] So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: "Men of Israel,
and you that fear God, listen. [17] The God of this people Israel chose our
fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt,
and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. [18] And for about forty years
he bore with them in the wilderness. [19] And when he had destroyed seven
nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance,
for about four hundred and fifty years. [20] And after that he gave them
judges until Samuel the prophet. [21] Then they asked for a king; and God
gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty
years. [22] And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their
king; of whom he testified and said, `I have found in David the son of
Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' [23] Of this man's
posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. [24]
Before his coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the
people of Israel. [25] And as John was finishing his course, he said, `What
do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the
sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.' [26] "Brethren, sons of
the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been
sent the message of this salvation. [27] For those who live in Jerusalem
and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the
utterances of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled these by
condemning him. [28] Though they could charge him with nothing deserving
death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed. [29] And when they had
fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree,
and laid him in a tomb. [30] But God raised him from the dead; [31] and for
many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to
Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. [32] And we bring you
the good news that what God promised to the fathers, [33] this he has
fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus; as also it is written in
the second psalm, `Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee.' [34] And
as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to
corruption, he spoke in this way, `I will give you the holy and sure
blessings of David.' [35] Therefore he says also in another psalm, `Thou
wilt not let thy Holy One see corruption.' [36] For David, after he had
served the counsel of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid
with his fathers, and saw corruption; [37] but he whom God raised up saw no
corruption. [38] Let it be known to you therefore, brethren, that through
this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, [39] and by him every
one that believes is freed from everything from which you could not be
freed by the law of Moses. [40] Beware, therefore, lest there come upon you
what is said in the prophets: [41] `Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and
perish; for I do a deed in your days, a deed you will never believe, if one
declares it to you.'" [42] As they went out, the people begged that these
things might be told them the next sabbath. [43] And when the meeting of
the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed
Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the
grace of God. [44] The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered together
to hear the word of God. [45] But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they
were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and
reviled him. [46] And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was
necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you
thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold,
we turn to the Gentiles. [47] For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, `I
have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation
to the uttermost parts of the earth.'" [48] And when the Gentiles heard
this, they were glad and glorified the word of God; and as many as were
ordained to eternal life believed. [49] And the word of the Lord spread
throughout all the region. [50] But the Jews incited the devout women of
high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution
against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. [51] But
they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and went to Ico'nium.
[52] And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
