The prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch spent significant time in worship and prayer, earnestly seeking the Lord’s will as they fasted and opened themselves to divine direction. As they prayed, the Holy Spirit spoke to them, and they set apart Barnabas and Saul in clear recognition of God’s call for them to carry out a special work in his name. The believers’ inward journey in prayer and listening to God is matched by their outward journey in service, evangelism, and mighty works of healing and salvation.
1Now 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. 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.” 3And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
On Cyprus
4So Barnabas and Saul, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewishsynagogues. And John was with them as their helper.
ⓘAt Paphos there was a power struggle with...
At Paphos there was a power struggle with a false prophet, with the result that the power of God was manifested and the Roman governor became a believer.
6They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet namedBar-Jesus,
ⓘThe governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent...
The governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man, was attracted to the teaching of Barnabas and Saul. But Elymas (the sorcerer’s Greco-Roman name) recognized a challenge to his power and strongly opposed the message of Barnabas and Saul.
7an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
9Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas
ⓘPaul, who became the chief spokesman, rebuked the...
Paul, who became the chief spokesman, rebuked the sorcerer’s fraudulent claims, exposed his deceit, and pronounced divine judgment (cp. 8:20–24). The sorcerer was instantly struck blind, a condition that lasted for some time, giving a strong demonstration of the truthfulness and superiority of the apostolic message over the bogus claims of the sorcerer.
10and 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 straightways of the Lord? 11Now 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.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
In Pisidian Antioch
ⓘThey landed at the port of Perga. From...
They landed at the port of Perga. From here, major roads opened into the interior beyond the Taurus Mountains.
At this point, John Mark left the team for reasons that are not stated (see study note on 15:36–41). Possibly he was unhappy that the Good News was moving out into Gentile lands; possibly he was homesick or otherwise unable to continue a difficult journey. Whatever the reason, he returned to the more familiar and comfortable Jewish surroundings of Jerusalem.
13After setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions came to Pergain Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14And from Perga, they traveled inland to PisidianAntioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down. 15After 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 accepted the invitation, motioned to quiet his...
Paul accepted the invitation, motioned to quiet his audience (cp. 19:33; 21:40), and launched into a straightforward proclamation of the Good News. This is Paul’s first great speech in Acts, and it provides a model of his preaching to a Jewish audience (see 22:1–21).
16Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who fearGod, listen to me!
ⓘTo establish common ground, Paul traced Jewish history...
To establish common ground, Paul traced Jewish history from the Exodus onward, stressing the Jews’ powerful deliverance from Egyptian bondage, the providential occupation of their inheritance in Canaan, the establishment of the monarchy, the removal of Saul, and the special place of David.
17The God of the people of Israelchose 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. 18He endured their conduct for about forty years in the wilderness. 19And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance. 20All this took about 450 years.
After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. 22After 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.’†
ⓘPaul here moved to the theme of his...
Paul here moved to the theme of his message: Jesus, one of David’s descendants, was God’s promised Savior of Israel. The Messiah’s way had been prepared by John the Baptist, who insisted that Israel needed to repent . . . and turn to God and be baptized. John was a humble servant who simply cleared the ground for the one whose coming he announced.
23From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israelthe SaviorJesus, as He promised. 24Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptismof repentance to all the people of Israel. 25As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But there is One coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’†
ⓘPaul reviewed the shameful treatment Jesus had received,...
Paul reviewed the shameful treatment Jesus had received, involving unjust condemnation and death. But God raised Jesus from the dead, as attested by witnesses. This message provides good news, for through Jesus sinners can experience the forgiveness of sins. But this message must be met with faith, or dire consequences will follow.
26Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, itis to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Himthey fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed.
29When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30But Godraised Him from the dead, 31and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.
32And now we proclaim to you the good news: What God promised our fathers 33He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:
‘You are My Son;today I have become Your Father.’†
34In fact, God raised Him from the dead, never to see decay. As He has said:
‘I will give you the holy andsure blessingspromised to David.’†
35So also, He says in another Psalm:
‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’†
36For when Davidhad servedGod’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay. 37But the One whom Godraised from the dead did not see decay.
ⓘPaul appealed for them to believe the message...
Paul appealed for them to believe the message about Jesus, through whom there is forgiveness for your sins.
38Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgivenessof sinsis proclaimed to you. 39Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
ⓘPaul closed his message with a strong warning...
Paul closed his message with a strong warning (cp. Heb 2:3). The Good News must not be ignored, neglected, or rejected, or frightening consequences will follow.
40Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:
41‘Look, you scoffers,wonder and perish!For I am doing a work in your daysthat you would never believe,even if someone told you.’”†
ⓘThe message stirred up interest among the people,...
The message stirred up interest among the people, and many of them were converted.
42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath. 43After 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 graceof God.
ⓘThe excitement caused by the apostles’ preaching led...
The excitement caused by the apostles’ preaching led to a mass turnout on the following week. This response provoked the jealousy of some of the Jews (cp. 4:1–2; 5:17), whose ability to win converts to Judaism (13:43) was being dwarfed by Paul’s ministry. They verbally attacked Paul and his ministry (cp. 6:8–12; 18:6; 19:9; Matt 23:13). Paul met this hostility with a bold declaration that these Jews had had their opportunity to hear the word of God, and that since they had rejected it, the offer of salvation would now be given to the Gentiles (cp. Acts 10:34–35), in accord with the Lord’s command in Scripture. The local Gentiles welcomed the Good News and many responded to it, so the Lord’s message was carried throughout that region.
44On the following Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.
46Then 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 eternallife, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47For this is what the Lordhas commanded us:
‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”†
48When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternallifebelieved. 49And the word of the Lord spread throughout that region.
ⓘJewish opposition once again forced Paul and Barnabas......
Jewish opposition once again forced Paul and Barnabas . . . out of town. They shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection, as Jesus had taught his disciples (see Matt 10:14–15; Mark 6:11–12; Luke 9:5–6; 10:10–11). That place was then treated as pagan territory, and other people were given access to the message of new life in Christ.
50The 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. 51So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
The name Simeon suggests a Jewish background (see Gen 29:33; Luke 2:25; 3:30); he is also called “the black man”—he was probably of African descent.
Lucius is a Latin name; he came from Cyrene, the capital of Libya in North Africa. He was probably one of the preachers from Cyrene who had brought the Christian message to Antioch (Acts 11:20).
Manaen had been brought up with King Herod Antipas; he was probably Luke’s source for insight into Antipas’s thoughts and actions (see Luke 9:7–9).
Barnabas and Saul are prominently featured in the subsequent narrative.
the men laid their hands on them: This solemn act was only done after more fasting and prayer; the Pastoral Epistles warn against laying hands on a person to appoint that person as a Christian leader without due care and diligence (1 Tim 5:22). At this point, Barnabas and Saul were sent . . . on their way as missionaries of the church at Antioch.
Landing in the town of Salamis on the eastern end of Cyprus, they went to the Jewish synagogues (see study note on 9:2), where the Jews could hear and respond to the Christian message. They would also meet converts to Judaism (see study note on 13:43) and spiritually hungry Gentiles who are sometimes described as “God-fearers” (see study note on 10:2).
Luke makes the significant transition from the name Saul (a Hebrew name) to Paul (a Greco-Roman name), perhaps indicating that Paul was now on a predominantly Gentile mission. For the rest of the book of Acts, he is called Paul except when he recounts his conversion (as in 22:7, 13; 26:14).
The teaching about the Lord included a miraculous demonstration of divine power (cp. Mark 1:21–27), for it was a teaching about the living God (see Acts 14:15).
Paul and Barnabas traveled inland into the high country and came to Antioch of Pisidia (in the Roman province of Galatia in Asia Minor, not to be confused with Antioch in Syria). As was their custom, the apostles began at the synagogue (see study note on 9:2; cp. 13:5; 14:1; 17:1, 2, 10, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8).
Commentary
Acts 13:15
After the usual Scriptures for the day had been read, one from the books of Moses and the other from the prophets (see Luke 4:16–28), the officials of the synagogue invited the visitors to speak any word of encouragement for the people.
Full converts to Judaism (also called proselytes) were Gentiles who had gone through the rite of circumcision to become full members of the Jewish community, observing the Jewish law (see also 2:11; 6:5; Matt 23:15).
The grace of God is a key concept in the New Testament to describe God’s unmerited favor shown preeminently through Jesus Christ.