Acts of Apostles
13 Now in Antioch there were prophets and teachers in the local congregation:+ Barʹna·bas,+ Symʹe·on who was called Niʹger, Lucius of Cy·reʹne, Manʹa·en who was educated with Herod+ the district ruler, and Saul. 2 As they were ministering to Jehovah and fasting, the holy spirit said: “Set aside for me Barʹna·bas 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 these men, sent out by the holy spirit, went down to Se·leuʹcia, and from there they sailed away to Cyʹprus. 5 When they arrived in Salʹa·mis, they began proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as an attendant.*+
6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paʹphos, they met up with a Jewish man named Bar-Jeʹsus, who was a sorcerer and a false prophet. 7 He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. Calling Barʹna·bas and Saul to him, this man was eager to hear the word of God. 8 But Elʹy·mas the sorcerer (for that is how his name is translated) began opposing them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, also called Paul, becoming filled with holy spirit, looked at him intently 10 and said: “O man full of every sort of fraud and every sort of villainy, you son of the Devil,+ you enemy of everything righteous, will you not quit distorting the right ways of Jehovah? 11 Look! Jehovah’s hand is upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sunlight for a time.” Instantly a thick mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul, on seeing what had happened, became a believer, for he was astounded at the teaching of Jehovah.
13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paʹphos and arrived at Perga+ in Pam·phylʹi·a. But John+ left them and returned to Jerusalem.+ 14 However, they went on from Perga and came to Antioch+ in Pi·sidʹi·a. And going into the synagogue+ on the Sabbath day, they took a seat. 15 After the public reading of the Law and the Prophets,+ the presiding officers of the synagogue sent word to them, saying: “Men, brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, tell it.” 16 So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, he said:
“Men, Israelites and you others who fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our forefathers, and he exalted the people while they lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt and brought them out of it with an uplifted arm.+ 18 And for a period of about 40 years, he put up with them in the wilderness.+ 19 After destroying seven nations in the land of Caʹnaan, he assigned their land as an inheritance.+ 20 All of that was during about 450 years.
“After this he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.+ 21 But afterward they demanded a king,+ and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin,+ for 40 years. 22 After removing him, he raised up for them David as king,+ about whom he bore witness and said: ‘I have found David the son of Jesʹse+ a man agreeable to my heart;+ he will do all the things I desire.’ 23 According to his promise, from the offspring of this man, God has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.+ 24 Before the arrival of that one, John had preached publicly to all the people of Israel baptism in symbol of repentance.+ 25 But as John was finishing his course, he would say: ‘What do you suppose I am? I am not he.*+ But look! One is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’+
26 “Men, brothers, you descendants of Abraham’s family and those others among you who fear God, the word of this salvation has been sent to us.+ 27 For the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize this one, but when acting as judges, they fulfilled the things spoken by the Prophets,+ which are read aloud every sabbath. 28 Even though they found no cause for death,+ they demanded of Pilate to have him executed.+ 29 And when they had accomplished all the things written about him, they took him down from the stake and laid him in a tomb.+ 30 But God raised him up from the dead,+ 31 and for many days he became visible to those who had gone with him from Galʹi·lee up to Jerusalem. These are now his witnesses to the people.+
32 “So we are declaring to you the good news about the promise made to the forefathers. 33 God has completely fulfilled it to us, their children, by resurrecting Jesus;+ just as it is written in the second psalm: ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’+ 34 And the fact that He resurrected him from the dead never again to return to corruption, He has stated in this way: ‘I will give you the expressions of loyal love promised to David, which are faithful.’*+ 35 So it also says in another psalm: ‘You will not allow your loyal one to see corruption.’+ 36 David, on the one hand, rendered service to God in his own generation, fell asleep in death, was laid with his forefathers, and did see corruption.+ 37 On the other hand, the one whom God raised up did not see corruption.+
38 “Let it therefore be known to you, brothers, that through this one a forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you,+ 39 and that from all the things from which you could not be declared guiltless by means of the Law of Moses,+ everyone who believes is declared guiltless by means of this one.+ 40 Therefore, watch out that what is said in the Prophets does not come upon you: 41 ‘Look at it, you scorners, and be amazed, and perish, for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe even if anyone relates it to you in detail.’”+
42 Now when they were going out, the people pleaded with them to speak about these matters on the following Sabbath. 43 So after the synagogue assembly was dismissed, many of the Jews and the proselytes who worshipped God followed Paul and Barʹna·bas, who, as they spoke to them, urged them to remain in the undeserved kindness of God.+
44 The next Sabbath nearly all the city gathered together to hear the word of Jehovah. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began blasphemously contradicting the things Paul was saying.+ 46 Then Paul and Barʹna·bas boldly said to them: “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to you.+ Since you are rejecting it and do not judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life, look! we turn to the nations.+ 47 For Jehovah has commanded us in these words: ‘I have appointed you as a light of nations, for you to be a salvation to the ends of the earth.’”+
48 When those of the nations heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah, and all those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers. 49 Furthermore, the word of Jehovah was being spread throughout the whole country. 50 But the Jews incited the prominent women who were God-fearing and the principal men of the city, and they stirred up persecution+ against Paul and Barʹna·bas and threw them outside their boundaries. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet against them and went to I·coʹni·um.+ 52 And the disciples continued to be filled with joy+ and holy spirit.