A merchant ship with one square sail leaving a harbor at dawn, low hills behind and a calm open sea ahead.

The Book of

Acts 13

A church sends out two of its teachers, a sorcerer loses his sight, and one synagogue sermon draws nearly a whole city the next Sabbath.

52 verses≈ 9 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

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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.”

Acts 13:2

Several hands resting on the shoulders of two kneeling men in a lamplit room, empty bowls set aside.

And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

On Cyprus

So Barnabas and Saul, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.

Stylised map · locations approximate

Where it happened

Across to Cyprus

From Antioch, Barnabas and Saul went down to the port of Seleucia and sailed to Cyprus, Barnabas’ home island. They landed at Salamis and crossed the whole island to Paphos.

When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.

Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas

Paul

and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord? Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.”

When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Acts 13:12

Reflect

Set apart

The Spirit spoke while the church at Antioch was “worshiping the Lord and fasting.” They let go of two of their own teachers, and on Cyprus a Roman governor “wanted to hear the word of God.” Who has God placed near you who might want to hear? What might He be asking you to let go of, or to step into?

In Pisidian Antioch

After setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.

Stylised map · locations approximate

Where it happened

Inland to Pisidian Antioch

From Paphos they sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. There John turned back, and Paul and Barnabas climbed inland over the Taurus range to Pisidian Antioch.

The stone interior of a synagogue with people seated on benches along the walls, a scroll open on a reader’s stand and two travelers near the back.

And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.

The synagogue leaders

After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”

Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who fear God, listen to me!

The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land. He endured their conduct for about forty years in the wilderness. And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.

Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’

God’s story with Israel

Whiteboard

Paul tells Israel’s story with God as the one acting in every line: He chose, led, endured, gave and raised up. Every step leads to David, and from David’s line to Jesus.

From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.

Acts 13:23

And now we proclaim to you the good news: What God promised our fathers He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.

In fact, God raised Him from the dead, never to see decay. As He has said:

‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

So also, He says in another Psalm:

‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’

Acts 13:35

The dark rock-cut entrance of an ancient royal tomb on the slope of the old City of David, cut steps and a sealing stone in afternoon light.

For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay. But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Acts 13:38–39

Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:

‘Look, you scoffers,

wonder and perish!

For I am doing a work in your days

that you would never believe,

even if someone told you.’”

Acts 13:40–41

Question

Quick question

Paul’s sermon in Pisidian Antioch leans on the same psalm Peter preached from at Pentecost.

Which psalm do Paul and Peter both quote about the Holy One not seeing decay?

A Light for the Gentiles

A street before a synagogue packed with townspeople on a Sabbath morning, a Roman aqueduct and hills beyond.

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath. After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

On the following Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.

0:29

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Paul and Barnabas

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord spread throughout that region.

The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.

A sandaled foot lifted and shaken on a road outside a city gate, dust drifting gold in low evening sun.

So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

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

Acts 13:52

Pray

Filled with joy

Paul and Barnabas were driven out of the district, yet the new disciples they left behind were “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Ask God for that joy when following Jesus costs you something, and pray for believers today who are pushed out for the gospel.

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Acts 13

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A verse to carry with you

For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’

Acts 13:47

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