Barnabas and Saul Sent Off
1
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Marnaen
(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 Barnabas and Saul for thework to which I have called them."
3
So after they had fasted and prayed,
they placed 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 the Jewish synagogue, John was with them as their helper.
6
They traveled through the whole island until theycame to Paphos.
There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
7
who wasan attendant of yjr proconsul, Sergius Paulus.
The proconsul an 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 te Holy Spirit,
looked straight at Elymas and said,
10
"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 theright 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 darkness came over him,
and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
12
When the preconsul 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 saied 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 reading from the Law and the Prophets,
the ynagogue 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!
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The God of people of Israel chose our fathers;
he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt,
with mighty power he led them out of that country,
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he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert,
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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, Godgave 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 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 everything I want him to do.'
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"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.'
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"Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles,
it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
27
The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus,
yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets
that are read every Sabbath.
28
Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him executed.
29
When they had carried out all that was written about him
they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
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But God raised him from the dead.
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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 when David had served God's purpose in his own generation
he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.
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But the one from God raised from the deaddid not see decay.
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"Therefore, my brothers, I want yo to know that through Jesus
the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
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Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything
you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.
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Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:
41
" 'Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish,
for I am going to do 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
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On the next 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.
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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 ourselves worthy of eternal life,
we now turn to the Gentiles.
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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 Genitles heard this, they were glad and honored the word
of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49
The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
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But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing
and the leading men of the city.
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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.
