Acts, 13

1. In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

1. Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyre'ne, Man'a-en a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, 'I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.'

2. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

3. So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

3. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

4. So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there set sail for Cyprus.

4. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleu'cia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

5. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.

5. When they arrived at Sal'amis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.

6. They travelled the whole length of the island, and at Paphos they came in contact with a Jewish magician and false prophet called Bar-Jesus.

6. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus.

7. He was one of the attendants of the proconsul Sergius Paulus, who was an extremely intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and asked to hear the word of God,

7. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

8. but Elymas the magician (this is what his name means in Greek) tried to stop them so as to prevent the proconsul's conversion to the faith.

8. But El'ymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith.

9. Then Saul, whose other name is Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked at him intently

9. But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him

10. and said, 'You utter fraud, you impostor, you son of the devil, you enemy of all uprightness, will you not stop twisting the straightforward ways of the Lord?

10. and said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?

11. Now watch how the hand of the Lord will strike you: you will be blind, and for a time you will not see the sun.' That instant, everything went misty and dark for him, and he groped about to find someone to lead him by the hand.

11. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and unable to see the sun for a time." Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.

12. The proconsul, who had watched everything, became a believer, being much struck by what he had learnt about the Lord.

12. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

13. Paul and his companions went by sea from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia where John left them to go back to Jerusalem.

13. Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphyl'ia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem;

14. The others carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the Sabbath and took their seats.

14. but they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisid'ia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.

15. After the passages from the Law and the Prophets had been read, the presidents of the synagogue sent them a message, 'Brothers, if you would like to address some words of encouragement to the congregation, please do so.'

15. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."

16. Paul stood up, raised his hand for silence and began to speak: 'Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen!

16. So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: "Men of Israel, and you that fear God, listen.

17. The God of our nation Israel chose our ancestors and made our people great when they were living in Egypt, a land not their own; then by divine power he led them out

17. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.

18. and for about forty years took care of them in the desert.

18. And for about forty years he bore with them in the wilderness.

19. When he had destroyed seven nations in Canaan, he put them in possession of their land

19. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years.

20. for about four hundred and fifty years. After this he gave them judges, down to the prophet Samuel.

20. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.

21. Then they demanded a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years,

21. 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. he deposed him and raised up David to be king, whom he attested in these words, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will perform my entire will."

22. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; of whom he testified and said, `I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'

23. To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David's descendants, Jesus, as Saviour,

23. Of this man's posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.

24. whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel.

24. Before his coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25. Before John ended his course he said, "I am not the one you imagine me to be; there is someone coming after me whose sandal I am not fit to undo."

25. And as John was finishing his course, he said, `What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'

26. 'My brothers, sons of Abraham's race, and all you godfearers, this message of salvation is meant for you.

26. "Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.

27. What the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did, though they did not realise it, was in fact to fulfil the prophecies read on every Sabbath.

27. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him.

28. Though they found nothing to justify his execution, they condemned him and asked Pilate to have him put to death.

28. Though they could charge him with nothing deserving death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed.

29. When they had carried out everything that scripture foretells about him they took him down from the tree and buried him in a tomb.

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

30. But God raised him from the dead,

30. But God raised him from the dead;

31. and for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and it is these same companions of his who are now his witnesses before our people.

31. and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.

32. 'We have come here to tell you the good news that the promise made to our ancestors has come about.

32. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,

33. God has fulfilled it to their children by raising Jesus from the dead. As scripture says in the psalms: You are my son: today I have fathered you.

33. this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, `Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee.'

34. The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to return to corruption, is no more than what he had declared: To you I shall give the holy things promised to David which can be relied upon.

34. And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he spoke in this way, `I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'

35. This is also why it says in another text: You will not allow your Holy One to see corruption.

35. Therefore he says also in another psalm, `Thou wilt not let thy Holy One see corruption.'

36. Now when David in his own time had served God's purposes he died; he was buried with his ancestors and has certainly seen corruption.

36. For David, after he had served the counsel of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption;

37. The one whom God has raised up, however, has not seen corruption.

37. but he whom God raised up saw no corruption.

38. 'My brothers, I want you to realise that it is through him that forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you. Through him justification from all sins from which the Law of Moses was unable to justify

38. Let it be known to you therefore, brethren, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

39. is being offered to every believer.

39. and by him every one that believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

40. 'So be careful -- or what the prophets say will happen to you.

40. Beware, therefore, lest there come upon you what is said in the prophets:

41. Cast your eyes around you, mockers; be amazed, and perish! For I am doing something in your own days that you would never believe if you were told of it.'

41. `Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I do a deed in your days, a deed you will never believe, if one declares it to you.'"

42. As they left they were urged to continue this preaching the following Sabbath.

42. As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next sabbath.

43. When the meeting broke up many Jews and devout converts followed Paul and Barnabas, and in their talks with them Paul and Barnabas urged them to remain faithful to the grace God had given them.

43. And when the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

44. The next Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God.

44. The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God.

45. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, filled with jealousy, used blasphemies to contradict everything Paul said.

45. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and reviled him.

46. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly. 'We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, here and now we turn to the gentiles.

46. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

47. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said: I have made you a light to the nations, so that my salvation may reach the remotest parts of the earth.'

47. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, `I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'"

48. It made the gentiles very happy to hear this and they gave thanks to the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers.

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

49. Thus the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside.

49. And the word of the Lord spread throughout all the region.

50. But the Jews worked on some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city; they stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their territory.

50. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.

51. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went off to Iconium; but the converts were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

51. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and went to Ico'nium.

52.

52. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.