English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

1Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man” ), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas ), and Saul.

2While 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.”

2One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”

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

3So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way. Paul’s First Missionary Journey

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

4So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus.

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

5There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. John Mark went with them as their assistant.

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

6Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.

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

7He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God.

8But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

8But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.

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

9Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye.

10and 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?

10Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?

11And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will 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.

11Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him.

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

12When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. Paul Preaches in Antioch of Pisidia

13Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem,

13Paul and his companions then left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem.

14but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.

14But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath they went to the synagogue for the services.

15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

15After the usual readings from the books of Moses and the prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message: “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give it.”

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

16So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. “Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me.

17The 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.

17“The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery.

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

18He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

19And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.

19Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance.

20All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.

20All this took about 450 years. “After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet.

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

21Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years.

22And 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.’

22But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

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

23“And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel!

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

24Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized.

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

25As John was finishing his ministry he asked, ‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon—and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’

26“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.

26“Brothers—you sons of Abraham, and also you God-fearing Gentiles—this message of salvation has been sent to us!

27For 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 them by condemning him.

27The people in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus as the one the prophets had spoken about. Instead, they condemned him, and in doing this they fulfilled the prophets’ words that are read every Sabbath.

28And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed.

28They found no legal reason to execute him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway.

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

29“When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb.

30But God raised him from the dead,

30But God raised him from the dead!

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

31And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel.

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

32“And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors,

33this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’

33and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. ’

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

34For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.’

35Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

35Another psalm explains it more fully: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’

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

36This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.

37but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.

37No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay.

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

38 “Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.

39and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

39Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do.

40Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

40Be careful! Don’t let the prophets’ words apply to you. For they said,

41“‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”

41‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.’ ”

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

42As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue that day, the people begged them to speak about these things again the next week.

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

43Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God. Paul Turns to the Gentiles

44The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

44The following week almost the entire city turned out to hear them preach the word of the Lord.

45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.

45But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said.

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

46Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.

47For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

47For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’ ”

48And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

48When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.

49And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.

49So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region.

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

50Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town.

51But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.

51So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium.

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

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

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.