Saul and Barnabas Are Called to Be Missionaries

13 In the church in the city of Antioch there were preachers and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius of the country of Cyrene, Manaen of Herod’s family, and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and eating no food so they could pray better, the Holy Spirit said, “Let Barnabas and Saul be given to Me for the work I have called them to.”

Paul and Barnabas Go to Antioch

³ These preachers and teachers went without food during that time and prayed. Then they laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them away. ⁴ They were sent by the Holy Spirit to the city of Seleucia. From there they went by ship to the island of Cyprus. ⁵ When they went to shore at the city of Salamis, they preached the Word of God in the Jewish place of worship. John Mark was with them as their helper.

⁶ They went over Cyprus as far as the city of Paphos. While there, they found a Jew who did witchcraft. He was a false preacher named Barjesus. ⁷ Sergius Paulus was the leader of the country and a man who knew much. Barjesus was with Sergius Paulus. Sergius Paulus asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him so he might hear the Word of God. ⁸ But Elymas (as he called himself), the man who did witchcraft, worked against Barnabas and Saul. He tried to keep the leader of the country from putting his trust in the Lord.

⁹ Saul, whose other name was Paul, was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked at Elymas. ¹⁰ Then Saul said, “You false preacher and trouble-maker! You son of the devil! You hate what is right! Will you always be turning people from the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ And now look! The hand of the Lord is on you. You will become blind. For a time you will not be able to see the sun.” At once it became dark to Elymas, and he could not see. He asked people to take him by the hand to lead him from place to place.

¹² The leader of the country put his trust in the Lord because he saw what had happened. He was surprised and wondered about the teaching of the Lord. ¹³ Paul and those with him went by ship from Paphos to the city of Perga in the country of Pamphylia. John Mark did not go with them but went back to Jerusalem.

Paul Preaches in Antioch

¹⁴ From Perga they went on to the city of Antioch in the country of Pisidia. On the Day of Rest they went into the Jewish place of worship and sat down. ¹⁵ After the leaders had read from the Jewish Law and the writings of the early preachers, they sent to them saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of comfort and help for the people, say it now.” ¹⁶ Paul got up. He raised his hand and said, “Jewish men and you who honor God, listen! ¹⁷ The God of the Jews chose our early fathers and made them a great people during the time they lived in the land of Egypt. With a strong hand He took them out from there. ¹⁸ For about forty years He took care of them in the desert. ¹⁹ He destroyed the people of seven nations in the land of Canaan. Then He divided the land and gave it to them as their own. ²⁰ For about 450 years He let them have special leaders. They had these leaders until the time of Samuel.

²¹ “Then they wanted a king. God gave them Saul who was the son of Kish from the family group of Benjamin. He was king forty years. ²² When God took Saul as king from them, He made David to be their king. He said, ‘David, Jesse’s son, will please My heart. He will do all I want done.’

²³ “From this man’s family, God gave to the Jews the One Who saves from the punishment of sin as He had promised. He is Jesus. ²⁴ Before Jesus came, John had preached to all the Jews that they should be baptized because they were sorry for their sins and turned from them. ²⁵ When John was near the end of his work, he asked, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Christ. No, but He is coming later and I am not good enough to get down and help Him take off His shoes!’