Acts 13 (NASB2020)
First Missionary Journey
1Now there were prophets and teachers at Antioch, in the church that was there: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2While they were 13:2 Lit performing ministry toserving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then, when they had fasted, prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 6When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9But Saul, who was also known as Paul, 13:9 Or having just been filledfilled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him, 10and said, “13:10 Lit O full ofYou who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
13Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, “13:15 Lit Men, brothersBrothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said,
“Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and 13:17 Or exaltedmade the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. 18For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about 450 years. 20After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My 13:22 Lit wisheswill.’ 23From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, 24after John had proclaimed, before 13:24 Lit the face of His enteringHis coming, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, One is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
26“13:26 Lit Men, brothersBrothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. 27For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the 13:27 Lit voicesdeclarations of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. 28And though they found no grounds for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. 29When they had carried out everything that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the 13:29 Lit wood; see Deut 21:23cross and laid Him in a tomb. 30But God raised Him from the dead; 31and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. 32And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have fathered You.’ 34As for the fact that He raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and faithful mercies of David.’ 35Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not 13:35 Lit giveallow Your 13:35 Or Devout; or PiousHoly One to 13:35 Lit see corruptionundergo decay.’ 36For David, after he had 13:36 Or served his own generation by the purpose of Godserved God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was 13:36 Lit gathered to hisburied among his fathers and 13:36 Lit saw corruptionunderwent decay; 37but He whom God raised did not 13:37 Lit see corruptionundergo decay. 38Therefore let it be known to you, 13:38 Lit men, brothersbrothers, that through 13:38 Lit this OneHim forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39and 13:39 Lit in; or bythrough Him everyone who believes is 13:39 Or justifiedfreed from all things, from which you could not be 13:39 Or justifiedfreed 13:39 Lit bythrough the Law of Moses. 40Therefore, see that the thing spoken of in the Prophets does not come upon you:
41‘Look, you scoffers, and be astonished, and 13:41 Lit disappearperish;
For I am accomplishing a work in your days,
A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you.’ ”
42As 13:42 Lit theyPaul and Barnabas were going out, the people repeatedly begged to have these 13:42 Lit wordsthings spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the God-fearing 13:43 I.e., Gentile converts to Judaismproselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and urging them to continue in the grace of God.
Paul Turns to the Gentiles
44The next Sabbath nearly all the city assembled to hear the word of 13:44 One early ms Godthe Lord. 45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were 13:45 Or slandering himblaspheming. 46Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you repudiate it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I have appointed You as a light 13:47 Lit ofto the Gentiles,
That You may 13:47 Lit be for salvationbring salvation to the end of the earth.’ ”
48When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of 13:48 Two early mss Godthe Lord; and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50But the Jews incited the 13:50 Or worshipingdevout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their 13:50 Lit boundariesregion. 51But they shook off the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Understand Acts 13
Walk through Acts 13 verse by verse, then read what three commentaries say about the chapter. The explanations are written for new readers.
Read the Acts 13 commentary