Acts 13: The First Missionary Journey Begins
Barnabas and Saul are sent out, and Paul preaches across Cyprus and Antioch.
Acts 13 (WEB)
1 Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They had also John as their attendant.
6 When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar Jesus,
7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him,
10 and said, “Full of all deceit and all cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.
14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.
15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”
16 Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.
17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.
18 For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred fifty years.
20 After these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22 When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
23 From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise,
24 before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.
25 As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
26 Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.
27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
28 Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
29 When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.
30 But God raised him from the dead,
31 and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.
32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,
33 that God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
34 “Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’
35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’
36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.
37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay.
38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,
39 and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:
41 ‘Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’”
42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
43 Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44 The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.
46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”
48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
49 The Lord’s word was spread abroad throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13 (KJV)
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.
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 Bar-jesus:
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.
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.
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.
Acts 13 (ASV)
1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was [there], prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
5 And when they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John as their attendant.
6 And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus;
7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.
9 But Saul, who is also [called] Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him,
10 and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou son 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 proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.
14 But they, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia; and they 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, Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16 And Paul stood up, and beckoning with the hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken:
17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forth out of it.
18 And for about the time of forty years as a nursing-father bare he them in the wilderness.
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave [them] their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years:
20 and after these things he gave [them] judges until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they asked for a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for the space of forty years.
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; to whom also he bare witness and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who shall do all My will.
23 Of this man’s seed hath God according to promise brought 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 was fulfilling his course, he said, What suppose ye that I am? I am not [he]. But behold, there cometh one after me the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to unloose.
26 Brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us is the word of this salvation sent forth.
27 For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled [them] by condemning [him].
28 And though they found no cause of death [in him], yet asked they of Pilate that he should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.
30 But God raised him from the dead:
31 and he was seen for many days of them that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses unto the people.
32 And we bring you good tidings of the promise made unto the fathers,
33 that God hath fulfilled the same unto our children, in that he raised up Jesus; as also it is 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 hath spoken on this wise, I will give you the holy and sure [blessings] of David.
35 Because he saith also in another [psalm], Thou wilt not give Thy Holy One to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 but he whom God raised up saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins:
39 and by him every one that believeth is 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 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, if one declare it unto you.
42 And as they went out, they besought that these words might be spoken to them the next sabbath.
43 Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.
46 And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth.
48 And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews urged on the devout women of honorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of their borders.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy with the Holy Spirit.
Summary
Guided by the Holy Spirit during worship, the church in Antioch sets apart Barnabas and Saul for a mission and sends them off. On Cyprus they confront a sorcerer who opposes them, and the Roman proconsul believes; from this point Saul is called Paul. Traveling on, Paul preaches a powerful sermon in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, tracing God's promises through Israel's history to Jesus and the forgiveness found in him. Many are eager to hear, but when some leaders grow jealous, Paul and Barnabas turn to the Gentiles, and the message spreads through the region.
Main Characters
- Paul (Saul) — Steps into leadership, preaching boldly and turning to the Gentiles.
- Barnabas — Paul's partner, sent out by the Antioch church for the mission.
- Sergius Paulus — A Roman proconsul who believes after seeing God's power.
- Elymas the sorcerer — Opposes the message and is temporarily blinded.
Key Verse
Acts 13:47 (WEB)
For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”
Lessons Learned
- Mission flows out of worship, prayer, and the leading of the Spirit.
- The whole story of Scripture points toward Jesus.
- Forgiveness and freedom are at the heart of the good news.
- Rejection by some can open the door to others.
- The Spirit initiates and sends. The call to mission came while the church at Antioch was worshiping and fasting — God's Spirit moves through a community devoted to prayer, not merely through individual ambition (Acts 13:2, WEB).
- Scripture interprets Scripture. Paul's sermon demonstrates that the Old Testament was never an end in itself but always pointed forward to Jesus; sound teaching connects God's past promises to their present fulfillment (Acts 13:17–33, WEB).
- Spiritual opposition is real but not final. Elymas actively worked to turn Sergius Paulus away from faith, yet the Spirit's power overcame the obstruction and the proconsul believed; opposition does not have the last word (Acts 13:8–12, WEB).
- Forgiveness exceeds the law. Paul distinguishes what the law could not accomplish from what Christ's resurrection makes possible — justification for everyone who believes — broadening the scope of grace beyond any system of merit (Acts 13:38–39, WEB).
- Rejection can redirect the gospel. When some in the synagogue refused the message, Paul and Barnabas turned deliberately to the Gentiles, fulfilling the prophet's vision of a light to all nations; closed doors can open wider ones (Acts 13:46–47, WEB).
- Joy persists through persecution. Even after being expelled from the region, the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit — outward hardship does not extinguish inward fruit when the Spirit is present (Acts 13:52, WEB).
- How does the church discern that Barnabas and Saul should be sent out?
- Why does Paul ground his sermon in Israel's history?
- What do you notice about how Paul responds to opposition?
- What does it mean that forgiveness is available “through Jesus”?
- How might worship and prayer shape a community's sense of mission?
- The church discerns their sending through the Holy Spirit speaking during a time of corporate worship and fasting. The community then confirms the call by fasting and praying together and laying hands on them before sending them out — a communal, Spirit-led process rather than a personal decision (Acts 13:2–3, WEB).
- Paul grounds his sermon in Israel's history to show his Jewish audience that Jesus is not a departure from their faith but its culmination. By tracing God's faithfulness through Egypt, the wilderness, the judges, and David, he demonstrates that the resurrection of Jesus is the fulfillment of promises already embedded in their own Scriptures (Acts 13:17–33, WEB).
- Look for responses that note Paul's directness and Spirit-filled boldness rather than defensiveness or retreat. He names Elymas's spiritual opposition plainly and pronounces judgment, then continues the mission rather than being derailed. When the crowd turns against him later, he speaks out boldly and explains his decision without bitterness (Acts 13:9–11, 46, WEB). Encourage the group to reflect: what enables someone to respond with clarity rather than fear when opposed? See also 2 Timothy 1:7.
- Look for responses that wrestle with what "through Jesus" adds beyond moral effort or religious observance. Paul specifies that through Jesus sins are forgiven and that everyone who believes is justified "from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38–39, WEB) — the law identified the problem but could not remove it. Encourage the group to consider what it means personally that this justification is received by faith rather than earned. See also Romans 3:21–24.
- Look for responses that draw a connection between the community's inner life — their worship and attentiveness to God — and their outward action. The sending of Barnabas and Saul in Acts 13 flows directly out of a gathered, praying, fasting church rather than a strategic planning meeting. Encourage the group to reflect on how their own rhythms of prayer and worship do or do not shape a sense of shared purpose. See also Romans 12:1–2 and Colossians 4:2–3.