Acts 13

King James Version

Full text for Acts Chapter 13

1¶ Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid [their] hands on them, they sent [them] away.

4¶ So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

5And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to [their] minister.

6And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name [was] Barjesus:

7Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

8But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

9Then Saul, (who also [is called] Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

10And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, [thou] child of the devil, [thou] enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11And now, behold, the hand of the Lord [is] upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

12Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

13Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

14¶ But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

15And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, [Ye] men [and] brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

16Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with [his] hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

17The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

18And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

19And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

20And after that he gave [unto them] judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

21And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

22And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

23Of this man's seed hath God according to [his] promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

24When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not [he]. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of [his] feet I am not worthy to loose.

26Men [and] brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

27For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled [them] in condemning [him].

28And though they found no cause of death [in him], yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

29And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took [him] down from the tree, and laid [him] in a sepulchre.

30But God raised him from the dead:

31And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

32And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

33God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

34And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, [now] no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

35Wherefore he saith also in another [psalm], Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

36For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

37But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

38Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

40Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

41Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

42¶ And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

43Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

46Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

47For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

48And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

49And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

50But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

51But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

52And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The Holy Ghost commissions Barnabas and Saul for missionary work from Antioch. In Cyprus, Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, blinds Elymas the sorcerer, leading the deputy Sergius Paulus to believe. In Pisidian Antioch, Paul preaches a sermon tracing Israel's history to Jesus' resurrection, offering forgiveness through faith. When the Jews reject their message, Paul and Barnabas turn to the Gentiles, who gladly receive the word, though persecution ultimately forces the apostles to depart.

Medium Summary

The church in Antioch, guided by the Holy Ghost, separates Barnabas and Saul for their first missionary journey, sending them forth after fasting and prayer. They travel to Cyprus, where Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, confronts and temporarily blinds Elymas the sorcerer for hindering the gospel, leading the Roman deputy Sergius Paulus to believe. Moving to Pisidian Antioch, Paul delivers a significant sermon in the synagogue, recounting Israel's history from Abraham to David, and then presenting Jesus as the promised Saviour, emphasizing His death, resurrection, and the forgiveness and justification available through faith in Him, which the Law of Moses could not provide. Many Jews and proselytes initially follow them, but the following Sabbath, the Jewish leaders, filled with envy, contradict and blaspheme. Paul and Barnabas boldly declare their intention to turn to the Gentiles, as commanded by the Lord to be a light for salvation to the ends of the earth. The Gentiles rejoice and believe, but the Jews instigate persecution, expelling the apostles from the region. Paul and Barnabas shake off the dust and depart to Iconium, leaving the disciples filled with joy and the Holy Ghost.

Long Summary

The chapter opens in Antioch, where the Holy Ghost directs the church to separate Barnabas and Saul for a special work, leading to their commissioning through fasting, prayer, and the laying on of hands. Sent forth by the Holy Ghost, they journey to Cyprus, preaching in the synagogues of Salamis, accompanied by John Mark. At Paphos, they encounter Sergius Paulus, a prudent Roman deputy who desires to hear the word of God, but Barjesus, also known as Elymas the sorcerer, actively opposes them. Paul, now explicitly named and filled with the Holy Ghost, confronts Elymas, denouncing him as a child of the devil and an enemy of righteousness, and declares that he will be temporarily blinded by the hand of the Lord. This miracle immediately occurs, astonishing the deputy and leading him to believe. From Paphos, they sail to Perga in Pamphylia, where John Mark departs from them and returns to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas then proceed to Antioch in Pisidia, where Paul delivers a comprehensive sermon in the synagogue on the Sabbath. He traces God's covenant history with Israel from their election, through the Exodus, the period of judges, and the kingship of David, presenting Jesus as the promised Saviour from David's lineage, whose coming was heralded by John the Baptist. Paul explains that the inhabitants of Jerusalem, in ignorance, fulfilled prophetic scriptures by condemning and crucifying Jesus, though finding no cause of death in Him. He then proclaims God's mighty act of raising Jesus from the dead, fulfilling prophecies that He would not see corruption, unlike David. Paul declares that through Jesus, forgiveness of sins and justification from all things (which the Law of Moses could not provide) are preached to all who believe, warning against despising this work. The following Sabbath, nearly the entire city gathers to hear the word, but the Jews, filled with envy, contradict and blaspheme Paul's message. Paul and Barnabas boldly announce their turning to the Gentiles, citing the Lord's command to be a light for salvation to the ends of the earth. The Gentiles rejoice and believe, leading to the spread of the word throughout the region, but the Jews incite persecution, expelling Paul and Barnabas, who then shake off the dust from their feet and depart to Iconium, leaving the disciples filled with joy and the Holy Ghost.

Core Concepts

  • Divine CommissioningThe Holy Ghost directly calls Barnabas and Saul for missionary work, and the church in Antioch formally sends them forth with prayer and the laying on of hands, marking the beginning of their apostolic journey.
  • Confrontation with SorceryPaul, filled with the Holy Ghost, confronts and temporarily blinds Elymas the sorcerer, who attempts to hinder the Roman deputy Sergius Paulus from believing the gospel, demonstrating divine power over spiritual opposition.
  • Paul's Inaugural SermonIn Pisidian Antioch, Paul delivers a detailed sermon, recounting Israel's history and presenting Jesus as the promised Messiah, whose death and resurrection offer forgiveness and justification to all who believe.
  • Rejection by Jews, Acceptance by GentilesAfter initial interest, many Jews in Pisidian Antioch reject Paul's message with envy and blasphemy, leading Paul and Barnabas to declare their mission to the Gentiles, who readily receive the word of the Lord.
  • Justification by FaithPaul emphasizes that through Jesus, believers are justified from all things, a righteousness and forgiveness that could not be achieved by adherence to the Law of Moses.
  • Persecution and JoyDespite facing persecution and expulsion from Pisidian Antioch by the Jews, Paul and Barnabas continue their mission, and the disciples left behind are filled with joy and the Holy Ghost.