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Acts 13

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Commissioning of Barnabas and Saul 1–3

1
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ​
2
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. ​
3
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. ​

Ministry in Cyprus and Sergius Paulus 4–13

4
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. ​
5
And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. ​
6
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7
Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. ​
8
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9
Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, ​
10
And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. ​
12
Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. ​
13
Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. ​

Paul's Sermon in Pisidian Antioch 14–41

14
But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. ​
15
And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16
Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. ​
17
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18
And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20
And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. ​
21
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. ​
23
Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
24
When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25
And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
26
Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
27
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. ​
28
And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
30
But God raised him from the dead: ​
31
And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
32
And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
33
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. ​
34
And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35
Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
36
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37
But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. ​
40
Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. ​

Rejection by Jews, Turning to Gentiles 42–52

42
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. ​
43
Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44
And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. ​
47
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. ​
48
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. ​
49
And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
50
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
51
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. ​
52
And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 13

Verse 1

prophets and teachers — Five are named: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger (Latin for black), Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen and Saul. Men of Cyprus and Cyrene had first spoken to the Greeks at Antioch (Acts 11:20). Syntrophos says Manaen was 'brought up with' Herod the tetrarch, the Herod of Luke 3:1, and 'prophets and teachers' are two of the gifts of Eph 4:11.

Verse 2

Separate me Barnabas and Saul — 'Ministered' is leitourgeo, to serve publicly, the verb used of the priest 'standeth daily ministering' (Heb 10:11). The Spirit speaks as the one who calls: 'the work whereunto I have called them'. 'Separate' is aphorizo, to mark off by a boundary, as Paul was 'separated unto the gospel of God' (Rom 1:1).

Verse 3

laid their hands on them — The church fasts and prays again (v.2), then lays on hands and releases them (apoluo). The same act was used for the seven in Acts 6:6, 'when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them'. The next verse says the journey was 'by the Holy Ghost': the church sends, and the Spirit sends.

Verse 4

sent forth by the Holy Ghost — Ekpempo, to dispatch. Seleucia was the port of Antioch, and Cyprus was Barnabas's own country: 'Joses … a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus' (Acts 4:36). It was also the country of the men who had first spoken to the Greeks at Antioch (Acts 11:19–20).

Verse 5

in the synagogues of the Jews — 'Preached' is katangello, to proclaim, the verb of v.38. 'Minister' is hyperetes, literally an under-rower, an attendant; it is the 'minister' of the synagogue in Luke 4:20 and the 'ministers of the word' of Luke 1:2. John is John Mark (Acts 12:25), who 'departing from them returned to Jerusalem' in v.13.

Verse 7

Sergius Paulus, a prudent man — 'Deputy' is anthypatos, the governor of a Roman province; the word appears again in Acts 13:8, 12 and 19:38, 'there are deputies'. 'Prudent' is synetos, understanding. He 'called for' the two men and 'desired' (epizeteo, to seek out) 'to hear the word of God', before the opposition of v.8.

Verse 9

Saul, (who also is called Paul,) — Saul is the Hebrew name, Paul the Latin; Acts gives no reason for the second. The name Saulos appears here for the last time in the narrative, and after it Acts says Paul. 'Filled with the Holy Ghost' is the verb used of Peter in Acts 4:8; 'set his eyes' is atenizo, to fix the gaze.

Verse 11

the hand of the Lord is upon thee — The phrase is the LORD's hand in judgment: 'the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle' (Ex 9:3), 'heavy upon them of Ashdod' (1 Sam 5:6). 'Mist' (achlys) and a guide by the hand (cheiragogos) occur only here. Paul himself had been led by the hand into Damascus (Acts 9:8). The blindness is 'for a season'.

Verse 12

believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord — 'Astonished' is ekplesso, struck out of oneself, the word of the crowds at Christ's teaching: 'they were astonished at his doctrine' (Matt 7:28; Luke 4:32). What moved the deputy was what was done, but it is the didache, the teaching, that he is said to believe.

Verse 13

John departing from them returned to Jerusalem — Apochoreo, to go away. The order of names has changed: 'Barnabas and Saul' (v.2) is now 'Paul and his company', and in v.43 'Paul and Barnabas'. Paul later 'thought not good to take him … who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work' (Acts 15:38).

Verse 14

went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down — This is Antioch in Pisidia, not the Antioch of v.1. They sit, and the reading of 'the law and the prophets' follows (v.15); the rulers then invite them, 'if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on'. Paul's practice is given in Acts 17:2, 'as his manner was'.

Verse 16

Men of Israel, and ye that fear God — Two groups are addressed, repeated in v.26, 'children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God'. A God-fearing Gentile is Cornelius, 'one that feared God with all his house' (Acts 10:2). 'Beckoning' is kataseio, to shake the hand down for silence, as Peter did in Acts 12:17.

Verse 20

four hundred and fifty years — The span is given as 'about' (hos): from the settling of the land (vv.17–19) 'until Samuel the prophet' (1 Sam 3:20). The LORD 'raised up judges' (Judges 2:16). Solomon's temple was begun 'in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt' (1 Kings 6:1).

Verse 22

a man after mine own heart — Paul joins words from two places: 1 Sam 13:14, 'a man after his own heart', and Ps 89:20, 'I have found David my servant'. 'Removed' is methistemi, to carry away, said of Saul. The point of the survey is v.23: 'Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.'

Verse 27

because they knew him not — Agnoeo, to be ignorant: 'through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers' (Acts 3:17). The prophets were read aloud (anaginosko) 'every sabbath day', and yet were fulfilled in the judging: 'those things … he hath so fulfilled' (Acts 3:18). 'Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory' (1 Cor 2:8).

Verse 30

But God raised him from the dead — The 'But' sets God's act against the rulers' sentence. Paul states it four times: 'raised' here, 'raised up Jesus again' (v.33), 'raised him up from the dead' (v.34) and 'whom God raised again' (v.37). Verse 31 supplies witnesses: 'he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem'.

Verse 33

Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee — Ps 2:7, cited as 'the second psalm'; Heb 1:5 and 5:5 quote the same verse. 'Fulfilled' is ekpleroo, filled up completely, found only here. Paul links the Sonship to the resurrection as Rom 1:4 does, 'declared to be the Son of God with power … by the resurrection from the dead'.

Verse 39

justified from all things — Dikaioo, to declare righteous, follows v.38, 'through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins'. What the law of Moses could not do: 'it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins' (Heb 10:4). The justifying is for 'all that believe', not for those who keep the law.

Verse 41

Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish — Hab 1:5, 'Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe'. There the work was the raising up of the Chaldeans (Hab 1:6). Paul sets the warning beside the greater work of vv.30–39. 'Perish' is aphanizo, to make vanish.

Verse 42

the Gentiles besought — 'Gentiles' is ethnos, the nations; they ask that 'these words' (rhemata) be spoken again 'the next sabbath' (metaxy, in the interval between). The request is answered in v.44: 'the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God'. In v.45 the Jews, seeing the multitudes, are 'filled with envy'.

Verse 46

we turn to the Gentiles — 'Waxed bold' is parrhesiazomai, to speak freely. 'First' keeps the order of Acts 3:26, 'Unto you first God'. 'Put it from you' is apotheomai, to thrust away, the verb of Rom 11:1, 'Hath God cast away his people? God forbid.' The turn is made again at Corinth (Acts 18:6) and Rome (Acts 28:28).

Verse 47

a light of the Gentiles — Isa 49:6, 'I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth', words Simeon echoes of Christ (Luke 2:32). Paul says 'the Lord commanded us' (entellomai): the Servant's calling is carried on by his witnesses, 'unto the uttermost part of the earth' (Acts 1:8).

Verse 48

ordained to eternal life — Tasso, to appoint or assign, the verb of Rom 13:1, 'the powers that be are ordained of God'. The passive points to God's assigning, as in 'chosen us in him before the foundation of the world' (Eph 1:4); some read it of those who set themselves toward life. Faith follows: 'believed'.

Verse 51

shook off the dust of their feet — Ektinasso, to shake out. Christ's instruction was to 'shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them' (Luke 9:5; Matt 10:14). At Corinth Paul uses the same verb of his raiment (Acts 18:6). 'The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost' (v.52).