1In the church at Antioch, there were several prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (called Niger), Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been raised with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work I have called them to do.”
3So, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them off.
4Therefore, sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
5When they arrived at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was also with them as their assistant.
6When they had traveled through the entire island as far as Paphos, they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar Jesus,
7who was an associate of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. Sergius Paulus called for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
8But Elymas the sorcerer (whose name means "sorcerer") opposed them. He tried to stop the governor from believing.
9But Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit and stared intently at Elymas.
10He said, "You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery, you son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! Will you never stop twisting the Lord's true ways?
11Now listen, the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun." Instantly, a mist and darkness fell on him. He stumbled around, looking for someone to lead him by the hand.
12When the governor saw what had happened, he believed. He was amazed by the teaching of the Lord.
13Paul and his companions then sailed from Paphos and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem.
14They continued their journey from Perga and arrived in Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day, they went into the synagogue and sat down.
15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent a message to them: "Brothers, if you have any encouraging words for the people, please speak."
16Paul stood up and, gesturing with his hand, said, "People of Israel, and you others here who worship God, please listen!
17The God of these people, Israel, chose our ancestors. He made the people prosper when they were foreigners in Egypt. With great power, he led them out of that land.
18He put up with them in the wilderness for about forty years.
19After destroying seven nations in Canaan, he gave their land to our ancestors as an inheritance for about 450 years.
20After that, he gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
21Later, they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled for forty years.
22After removing Saul, God made David their king. He testified about David saying, 'I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do everything I want.'
23From the descendants of this man, David, God has brought salvation to Israel, as he promised.
24Before Jesus came, John had preached a baptism of turning away from sin to all the people of Israel.
25As John was completing his work, he said, 'Who do you think I am? I am not the one you are expecting. But listen, someone is coming after me, and I am not worthy enough to untie his sandals.'
26Brothers, children of Abraham, and all among you who worship God, this message of salvation has been sent to you.
27The people who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus or understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. So, by condemning him, they fulfilled those prophecies.
28Even though they found no reason to sentence him to death, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
29After they had done everything the Scriptures said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb.
30But God raised him from the dead,
31and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are now his witnesses to the people.
32We are bringing you the good news about the promise made to our ancestors,
33God has fulfilled this promise to us, their children, by raising Jesus. As it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’
34Concerning the fact that God raised him from the dead so that he would never decay again, he said, ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’
35This is also why he says in another psalm, ‘You will not let your Holy One decay.’
36David, after serving God’s purpose in his own lifetime, died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.
37But the one God raised up did not decay.
38Therefore, brothers, understand that through this man, the forgiveness of sins is announced to you.
39Everyone who believes in him is made right with God in a way that the Law of Moses could never do.
40So be careful, or what the prophets said will happen to you:
41‘Look, you scoffers, be amazed and disappear; for I am doing something in your days, a work you would never believe, even if someone explained it to you.’
42As the Jews were leaving the synagogue, the non-Jews asked for these words to be preached to them the next Sabbath.
43After the synagogue service ended, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas spoke with them, urging them to continue in God's grace.
44The next Sabbath, almost the entire city gathered to hear the word of God.
45But when the Jews saw the large crowds, they became very jealous. They argued against what Paul was saying and insulted God.
46Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly, saying, “It was necessary to tell you God’s message first. But since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will now turn to the non-Jews.
47For the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the non-Jews, so that you may bring salvation to the farthest parts of the earth.’”
48When the non-Jews heard this, they were joyful and honored the word of God. Everyone who was appointed for eternal life believed.
49The Lord’s message spread throughout the whole region.
50But the Jews incited the devout and influential women and the leading men of the city. They started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their area.
51But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet as a protest against them and went to Iconium.
52The followers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.