Barnabas
And Saul Sent Off
In
the Church at Antioch
There
were Prophets and Teachers:
Barnabas,
Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen
(Who
had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch)
And
Saul.
2
While they were worshiping the Lord and Fasting,
The
Holy Spirit said,
'SET
APART FOR ME BARNAAS AND SAUL
FOR
THE WORK TO WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM.'
3
So after they had Fasted and Prayed,
THEY
PLACE THEIR HANDS ON THEM AND SENT THEM OFF.
On
Cyprus
4
THE TWO OF THEM SENT ON THEIR WAY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
Went
down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
5
When they arrived at Salamis,
They
Proclaimed the Word of God
In
Jewish Synagogues.
John
was with them as their helper.
6
They Traveled through the Whole Island
Until
they came to Paphos.
There
they met a Jewish Sorcerer
And
False Prophet named Bar-Jesus,
7
Who was an attendant of the Proconsul, Sergius Paulus.
The
Proconsul, and Intelligent man,
Sent
for Barnabas and Saul
Because
he wanted to hear the Word of God.
8
But Elymas the Sorcerer
(For
that is what his name means)
Opposed
them
And
tried to turn the Proconsul from the Faith.
9
Then Saul, who was also called Paul,
FILLED
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT,
LOOKED
STRAIGHT AT ELYMAS AND SAID,
'YOU
ARE A CHILD OF THE DEVIL
AND
AN ENEMY OF EVERYTHING THAT IS RIGHT!
YOU
ARE FULL OF ALL KINDS OF DECEIT AND TRICKERY.
WILL
YOU NEVER STOP PERVERTING
THE
RIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD?
11
NOW THE HAND OF THE LORD IS AGAINST YOU.
YOU
ARE GOING TO BE BLIND,
AND
FOR A TIME
YOU
WILL BE UNABLE TO SEE THE LIGHT OF THE SUN.'
IMMEDIATELY
MIST AND DRKNESS CAME OVER HIM,
AND
HE GROPED ABOUT, SEEKING SOMEONE
TO
LEAD HIM BY THE HAND.
12
WHEN THE PROCONSUL SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED,
HE
BELIEVED,
FOR
HE WAS AMAZED AT THE TEACHING ABOUT THE LORD.
In
Pisidian Antioch
13
From Paphos, Paul and his companions
Sailed
to Perga in Pamphylia,
Where
John left them to return to Jerusalem.
14
From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.
On
the Sabbath
They
entered the Synagogue and sat down.
15
After the Reading from the Law and the Prophets,
The
Synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying,
'BROTHERS,
IF YOU HAVE A MESSAGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT
FOR
THE PEOPLE, PLEASE SPEAK.'
16
Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said:
'MEN
OF ISRAEL AND YOU GENTILES WHO WORSHIP GOD,
LISTEN
TO ME!
17
THE GOD OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL
CHOSE
OUR FATHERS
AND
MADE THE PEOPLE PROSPER
DURING
THEIR STAY IN EGYPT.
WITH
A MIGHTY POWER HE LED THEM OUT OF THAT COUNTRY
18
AND ENDURED THEIR CONDUCT FORTY YEARS IN THE DESERT.
19
HE OVERTHREW SEVEN NATIONS IN CANAAN
AND
GAVE THEIR LAND TO HIS PEOPLE
AS
THEIR INHERITANCE.
20
ALL THIS TOOK ABOUT 450 YEARS.
'After
this, God gave them Judges
Until
the time of Samuel the Prophet.
21
THEN THE PEOPLE ASKED FOR A KING,
AND
HE GAVE THEM SAUL SON OF KISH,
OF
THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN,
WHO
RULED FOR FORTY YEARS.
22
AFTER REMOVING SAUL,
HE
MADE DAVID THEIR KING.
HE
TESTIFIED CONCERNING HIM:
'I
HAVE FOUND DAVID SON OF JESSE
A
MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART;
HE
WILL DO EVERYTING I WANT HIM TO DO.'
23
FROM THIS MAN'S DESCENDANTS
GOD
HAS BROUGHT TO ISRAEL THE SAVIOR JESUS
AS
HE PROMISED.
24
Before the coming of Jesus ,
John
Preached Repentance and Baptism
To
all the people of Israel.
25
As John was completing his work, he said:
WHO
DO YOU THINK I AM?
I
AM NOT THAT ONE.
NO,
BUT HE IS COMING AFTER ME,
WHOSE
SANDALS I AM NOT WORTHY TO UNTIE.'
26
BROTHERS, CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM,
AND
YOU GOD-FEARING GENTILES,
IT
IS TO US
THAT
HIS MESSAGE OF SALVATION HAS BEEN SENT.
THE
PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM AND THEIR RULERS
DID
NOT RECOGNIZE JESUS,
YET
IN CONDEMNING HIM
THEY
FULFILLED HE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS
THAT
ARE READ EVERY SABBATH.
28
When they had carried out
All
that was 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 FOR MANY DAYS HE WAS SEEN BY THOSE
WHO
HAD TRAVELED WITH HIM FROM GALILEE TO JERUSALEM.
THEY
ARE NOW HIS WITNESSES TO OUR PEOPLE.
32
WE TELL YOU THE GOOD NEWS:
WHAT
GOD PROMISED OUR FATHERS
33
HE HAS FULFILLED FOR US,
THEIR
CHILDREN,
BY
RAISING UP JESUS.
AS
IT IS WRITTEN IN THE SECOND PSALM:
'You
are My Son;
Today
I have become your Father.'
34
The Fact that God Raised Him from the Dead,
Never
to Decay,
Is
stated in these words:
'I
will give You the Holy and sure Blessings
Promised
to David.'
35
So it is stated elsewhere:
'You
will not let Your Holy One see Decay.'
36
For David had served God's Purpose
In
his own Generation,
He
fell asleep;
He
was Buried with his fathers
And
his body Decayed.
37
BUT THE ONE WHOM GOD RAISED FROM THE DEAD
DID
NOT SEE DECAY.
Therefore,
my Brothers,
I
WANT YOU TO KNOW
THAT
THROUGH JESUS
THE
FORGIVENESS OF SINS IS PROCLAIMED TO YOU.
39
THROUGH HIM EVERYONE WHO BELEIVES IS JUSTIFIED
FROM
EVERYTHNG YOU COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED FROM
BY
THE LAW OF MOSES.
40
TAKE CARE
THAT
WHAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SAID
DOES
NOT HAPPEN TO YOU:
'Look,
you Scoffers,
Wonder
and Perish,
For
I am doing something in your days
That
you would never believe,
Even
if someone told you.'
42
As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the Synagogue,
The
people invited them
To speak further about these things
On
the next sabbath.
43
When the Congregation was dismissed,
Many
of the Jews and Devout converts to Judaism
Followed
Paul and Barnabas,
Who
talked with them and Urged them
To
continue in the Grace of God.
44
On the nest Sabbath
ALMOST
THE WHOLE CITY GATHERED
TO
HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD.
45
When the Jews saw the Crowds,
THEY
WERE FILLED WITH JEALOUSY
AND
TALKED ABUSIVELY AGAINST WHAT PAUL WAS SAYING.
46
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly:
'WE
HAD TO SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU FIRST.
SINCE
YOU REJECT IT
AND
DO NOT CONSIDER YOURSELVES
WORTHY
OF ETERNAL LIFE,
WE
NOW TURN TO THE GENTILES.
47
FOR THIS IS WHAT THE LORD HAS COMMANDED US:
'I
have made you a Light for the Gentiles,
That
you may bring Salvation
To
the Ends of the Earth.'
48
When the Gentiles heard this,
They
were Glad and Honored the Word of the Lord;
ALL
WHO WERE APPOINTED FOR ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED.
49
THE WORD OF THE LORD
SPREAD
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE REGION.
50
But the Jews Incited the God-fearing women
Of
High Standing
And
the Leading men of the City.
THEY
STIRRED UP PERSECUTION
AGAINST
PAUL AND BARNABAS,
AND
EXPELLED THEM FROM THEIR REGION.
51
SO THEY SHOOK THE DUST FROM THEIR FEET
IN
PROTEST AGAINST THEM
And
went to Iconium.
52
AND THE DISCIPLES WERE FILLED WITH JOY
AND
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
(Acts
13)
