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1 Now there were some in the church being in Antioch who were prophets and teachers: both Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 Now as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, fasting and praying, and laying their hands on them, they sent them away.
Preaching at Cyprus
4 So these two, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.
6 And going across the island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) resisted them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith. 9 But Saul, who also is called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and gazing intently at him, 10 he said, “O full of all guile and all craft, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.” And immediately a mistiness and darkness fell upon him, and going about, he sought someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then when the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
John Mark Deserts Paul and Barnabas
13 Now Paul and his companions put to sea from Paphos, and came to Perga of Pamphylia; But John deserted them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But they went from Perga, and arrived in Antioch of Pisidia, and entering into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, they sat down. 15 Now after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent to them, saying, “Men and brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”
16 And Paul, arising and motioning with his hand, said, “Men, Israelites, and you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and lifting up the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm brought them out from it. 18 Now for a time of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19 And destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land to them as an inheritance.
20 “And after these things, for about four hundred and fifty years, He gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And removing him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom He also said bearing witness, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, to be a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 God, from the seed of this man, according to the promise, has brought to Israel salvation, 24 after John had first proclaimed before His coming, the baptism of repentance to Israel. 25 Now as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Whom do you suppose me to be? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandal of whose feet I am not worthy to loosen.’
26 “Men, brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the message of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those dwelling in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor the voices of the Prophets which are read according to each Sabbath, condemning him, they fulfilled the Scriptures. 28 And finding no cause for death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. 29 And when they finished all the things having been written about Him, taking Him down from the tree, they put Him in a tomb. 30 But God raised Him from the dead; 31 who appeared for many days more to those going up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. 32 And we proclaim to you the good news of the promise which was made to the fathers, 33 that God has fulfilled this promise for us to their children, when He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm:
‘You are My Son,
today I have begotten You.’
34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no longer being about to return to corruption, thus He has said:
‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’
35 Therefore also in another Psalm He says,
‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’
36 “For David indeed in his own generation, having served by the purpose of God, died, and was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this Man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and from all things from which you could not (by the Law of Moses) be justified, by Him everyone that believes is justified. 40 Watch therefore, lest there come upon you that which was spoken of in the prophets:
41 ‘Behold, you despisers,
and marvel and perish!
For I will work a work in your days which you will by no means believe,
though one were to declare it to you.’ ”
Blessing and Conflict at Antioch
42 Now as the Jews were going out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43 And when the synagogue service was broken up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 On the coming Sabbath, almost all the city was assembled to hear the word of God. 45 And the Jews, seeing the crowds, were filled with jealousy and spoke against the things being said by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46 But Paul and Barnabas, speaking boldly said, “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first; but since you thrust it away, and judge yourselves not worthy of eternal life; behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us:
‘I have set you to be a light of the nations,
that you should be for salvation to the end of the earth.’ ”
48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout and prominent women and the leading men of the city, and raised up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out from their borders. 51 But shaking off the dust from their feet against them, they went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito