Acts 13
1 Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Among [the people in] the congregation at Antioch there were (prophets/those who spoke messages from God) and those who taught [people about Jesus. They were] Barnabas; Simeon, who was also called Niger/Blackman; Lucius, from Cyrene [city]; Manaen, who had grown up with [King] Herod [Antipas]; and Saul.
2 As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”
While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said [to them], “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to [serve] me and to [go and do] the work that I have chosen them [to do]!”
3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
So they continued (to fast/to abstain from eating food) and pray. Then having put their hands on Barnabas and Saul and [praying that God would help them], they sent them off [to do what the Holy Spirit had commanded].
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
Barnabas and Saul, guided by the Holy Spirit, went down [from Antioch] to Seleucia [port]. From there they went by ship to Salamis [port on Cyprus Island].
5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had Yochanan as their attendant.
While they were in Salamis, [they went] to the Jewish meeting places. There they proclaimed the message from God [about Jesus]. John [Mark went with them and] was helping them.
6 When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Yeshua,
[The three of] them went across the entire island to Paphos [city]. There they met a magician whose name was Bar-Jesus. He was a Jew who falsely [claimed] (to be a prophet/to speak messages from God).
7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
He often accompanied the governor [of the island], Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor sent [someone] to ask Barnabas and Saul to come to him, because he wanted to hear God’s message. [So Barnabas and Saul came and told him about Jesus].
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
However, the magician, whose name was Elymas [in the Greek language], was opposing them. He repeatedly tried to persuade the governor not to believe [in Jesus].
9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him
Then Saul, who now called himself Paul, empowered by the Holy Spirit, looked intently at the magician and said,
10 and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all cunning, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
“You [(sg)] are serving the devil and you oppose everything that is good! You are always lying [to people] and doing [other] evil things to them. (You must stop saying that the truth about the Lord [God is a lot of lies!]/When will you stop changing what is true about the Lord [God and saying] what is not true about him?) [RHQ]
11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
Right now the Lord [God] [MTY] is going to punish you! You will become blind and not [even] be able to see light for [some] time.” At once he became [blind, as though he was] in a dark mist, and he groped about, searching for someone [to hold him by the] hand and lead him.
12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
When the governor saw what had happened [to Elymas], he believed [in the Lord Jesus]. He was amazed by [what Paul and Barnabas] were teaching about the Lord [Jesus].
13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. Yochanan departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.
[After that], Paul and the two men with him went by ship from Paphos to Perga [port] in Pamphylia [province. At Perga] John [Mark] left them and returned to [his home in] Jerusalem.
14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.
Then Paul and Barnabas traveled [by land] from Perga, and arrived in Antioch [city] near Pisidia [district in Galatia province]. (On the Sabbath/On the Jewish rest day) they entered the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place and sat down.
15 After the reading of the Torah and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”
[Someone] read [aloud] from what [Moses had written. Then someone read from what the other] prophets [had written] [MTY]. Then the leaders of the Jewish meeting place gave [someone this] note [to take] to Paul and Barnabas: “Fellow Jews, if [one of] you wants to speak to the people [here] to encourage them, please speak [to us(exc) now].”
16 Paul stood up, and gesturing with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.
So Paul stood up and motioned with his right hand [so that the people would listen to him]. Then he said, “Fellow Israelis and you [non-Jewish people] who [also] worship God, [please] listen [to me]!
17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.
God, whom we [(inc)] Israelis worship, chose our ancestors [to be his people], and he caused them to become very numerous while they were foreigners living in Egypt. [Then after many years], God helped them [MTY] powerfully and led them out of there.
18 For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
[Even though they repeatedly disobeyed him, he] cared for them for about 40 years [while they were] in the desert.
19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years.
He [enabled the Israelis] to conquer seven tribal groups [who were then living] in Canaan [region], and he gave their land to us Israelis for us to possess.
20 After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
[Our ancestors began to possess Canaan] about 450 years after [their ancestors had arrived in Egypt].” Acts 13:20b-22 “After that, God appointed leaders [to rule the Israeli people. Those leaders continued to rule our people] until the time when the prophet Samuel [ruled them].
21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
Then, [while Samuel was still their leader], the people demanded that he [appoint] a king [to rule them. So] God appointed Saul, the son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, [to be their king]. He [ruled them] for 40 years.
22 When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
After God had rejected Saul [from being king], he appointed David to be their king. God said about him, ‘I have observed that David, son of Jesse, is exactly the kind of man that I desire [IDM]. He will do [everything that] I want [him to do].’”
23 From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise,
“From [among] David’s descendants, God brought one of them, Jesus, to [us] Israeli people to save us, just like he had told [David and our other ancestors] that he would do.
24 before his coming, when Yochanan had first preached the immersion of repentance to Israel.
Before Jesus began his work, John [the Baptizer] preached to all of our Israeli people [who came to him. He told them] that they should turn away from their sinful behavior [and ask God to forgive them. Then he] would baptize them.
25 As Yochanan was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
When John was about to finish the work [that God gave him to do], he frequently said [to the people], ‘Do you think [RHQ] that I am [the Messiah whom God promised to send]? No, I am not. But listen! The Messiah will [soon] come. [He is so much greater than I am that] I am not [even] important enough to be his slave [MET].’”
26 “Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those amongst you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.
“Fellow Israelis, you who are descendants of Abraham, and [you non-Jewish people who] also worship God, [please listen! It is] to [all of] us that [God] has sent the message about [how he] saves people.
27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
The people who were living in Jerusalem and their rulers did not realize that this man [Jesus was the one whom God had sent to save them]. Although messages from [MTY] the prophets have been read [aloud] {someone has read [aloud] messages from [MTY] the prophets} every (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest), they did not understand [what the prophets wrote about the Messiah. So] the [Jewish leaders] condemned Jesus [to die], which was just like the prophets predicted.
28 Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
[Many people accused Jesus of doing wicked things], but they could not prove that he had done anything for which he deserved to die. They insistently asked Pilate [the governor] to command that Jesus be executed {to command soldiers to execute Jesus}. [So Pilate did what they asked him to do].
29 When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
They did [to Jesus] all the things that [the prophets long ago had] written [that people would do to] him. [They killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. Then] his body was taken {[some people took] his body} down from the cross and placed it in a tomb.
30 But God raised him from the dead,
However, God (raised him from the dead/caused him to live again after he had died)
31 and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.
and for many days he [repeatedly] appeared to [his followers] who had come along with him from Galilee [province] to Jerusalem. Those [who saw him] are telling the [Jewish] people about him now.”
32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,
“[Right] now we [two] are proclaiming to you this good message. We want to tell you that God has fulfilled what he promised to [our Jewish] ancestors!
33 that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Yeshua. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
He has now done that for us [(inc) who are] their descendants, [and also for you who are not Jews], by causing Jesus to live again. That is just like what [David] wrote in the second Psalm that [God said when he was sending his Son], You [(sg)] are my Son; Today I have shown everyone [that I really am] your Father.
34 “Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’
[God] has (raised [the Messiah] from the dead/caused [the Messiah] to live again after he had died) and will never let him die again. [Concerning that, God] said [to our Jewish ancestors], ‘I will surely help you, as I [promised] David [that I would do].’
35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’
So [in writing] another [Psalm, David] said this [to God about the Messiah]: ‘Because I am devoted to you and always obey [you, when I die] you [(sg)] will not let my body decay.’
36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.
While David was living, he did what God wanted him to do. And when he died [EUP], his [body] was buried, [as] his ancestors’ [bodies had been buried], and his body decayed. [So he could not have been speaking about himself in this Psalm].
37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay.
[Instead, he was speaking about Jesus. Jesus also died], but God (raised him from the dead/caused him to live again), and [therefore] his body did not decay.”
38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins;
“Therefore, [my] fellow Israelis [and other friends], it is important for you to know that [we(exc)] are declaring to you [that God] can forgive you for your sins as a result of [what] Jesus [has done]. Because of [what] Jesus [has done], [God] considers that everyone who believes [in Jesus] is no longer guilty (OR, the record has been erased {[God] has erased the record}) concerning everything that they [have done that displeased God. But] when [God] does [that for you], it is not as a result of [your obeying] the laws [that] Moses [wrote].
39 and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the Torah of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the Prophets:
Therefore be careful that [God] does not judge you [MTY], as one of the prophets said [MTY] that God would do!
41 ‘Behold, you scoffers! Wonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’”
[The prophet wrote that God said], You who ridicule [me], you will [certainly] be astonished [when you see what I am doing], and [then] you will be destroyed. You will be astonished because I will do something [terrible to you] while you are living. You would not believe [that I would do that] even though someone told you!”
42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
After Paul [finished speaking], while he and Barnabas were leaving the Jewish meeting place, [many of] the people there repeatedly requested that on the next (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest) [the two of them] should speak to them [again] about those things [that Paul had just told them].
43 Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
After they began to leave [that meeting], many [of them] went along with Paul and Barnabas. They consisted of Jews and also of non-Jews who had accepted the things that the Jews believe. Paul and Barnabas continued talking to them, and were urging them to continue [believing the message that] God kindly [forgives people’s sins because of what Jesus did].
44 The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
On the next Jewish rest day, most of the [people in Antioch came to] the Jewish meeting place to hear [Paul and Barnabas] speak about the Lord [Jesus].
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.
But [the leaders of] [SYN] the Jews became extremely jealous, because they saw that large crowds of [non-Jewish people were coming to hear Paul and Barnabas. So] they began to contradict the things that Paul was saying [and also] to insult [him].
46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from yourselves, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. (aiōnios g166)
Then, speaking very boldly, Paul and Barnabas said [to those Jewish leaders], “[We two] had to speak the message from God [about Jesus] to you [Jews] first [before we proclaim it to non-Jews, because God commanded us to do that. But] you are rejecting God’s message. [By doing that], you have shown that you are not worthy (to have eternal life/to live eternally [with God]). [Therefore], we are leaving [you, and now we] will go to the non-Jewish people [to tell them the message from God]. (aiōnios g166)
47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”
[We are doing that also] because the Lord [God] has commanded us [to do it]. He said to us, ‘I have appointed you [to reveal things about me] to non-Jewish people [MET] that will be [like] a light to them. [I have appointed] you to tell people everywhere [MTY] in the world [about the one who came] to save [them].’”
48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed. (aiōnios g166)
While the non-Jewish people were listening [to those words], they began to rejoice, and they repeatedly said that the message about the Lord [Jesus] was wonderful. And all of the non-Jewish people whom [God] had chosen (to have eternal [life/to live eternally with God]) believed [the message about the Lord Jesus]. (aiōnios g166)
49 The Lord’s word was spread abroad throughout all the region.
[At that time, many of the believers] traveled around throughout that region. As they did that, they were proclaiming the message about the Lord [Jesus] [MTY].
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.
However, [some leaders of] [SYN] the Jews incited the most important men in the city, and [some] important/influential women who had accepted what the Jews believe, to oppose [Paul and Barnabas. So those non-Jewish people] incited [other people also] to persecute Paul and Barnabas. As a result they expelled the two men from their region.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
So, [as the two apostles were leaving, they] shook the dust from their feet [to show those Jewish leaders that God had rejected them and would punish them. They left Antioch] and went to Iconium [city].
52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Meanwhile, the believers [in Antioch] continued to rejoice greatly, and they continued to be completely controlled by the Holy Spirit.
