Acts 13 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 The church at Antioch had prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (the childhood friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
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 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul to do the work I've called them to.”
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 After they had fasted, prayed, and placed their hands on them in blessing, they sent them on their way.
3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So Barnabas and Saul, directed by the Holy Spirit, went to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
5 Arriving at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant.
5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant.
6 They traveled throughout the island and eventually came to Paphos. There they found a Jewish magician, a false prophet by the name of Bar-jesus.
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 He was close to the governor, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. Sergius Paulus invited Barnabas and Saul to come and visit him since he wanted to hear the word of God.
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 the magician Elymas (his Greek name) opposed them, trying to prevent the governor from trusting in 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 Saul, also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and looked straight at him.
9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him
10 “You are full of deception and all kinds of evil, you son of the devil, you enemy of all that is right! Will you never give up perverting the Lord's true ways?
10 and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all cunning, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 Look, the Lord's hand is on you and you will become blind. You will not see the sun for some time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell on him, and he had to find someone who could lead him by the hand.
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 When the governor saw what happened he trusted in God, amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
13 Then Paul and those with him sailed from Paphos and went to Perga in Pamphylia, while John left them and went back to Jerusalem.
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 They went through Perga and on to Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and were seated.
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 readings from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent them a message saying, “Brothers, please share with the congregation any words of encouragement you may have.”
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, motioned with his hand to get their attention, and began speaking. “Men of Israel, and all of you who have reverence for God, listen to me.
16 Paul stood up, and gesturing with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.
17 The God of the people of Israel chose our forefathers, and gave our people prosperity during their stay in the land of Egypt. Then with his mighty power he led them out of Egypt,
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 and he patiently dealt with them in the desert for about forty years.
18 For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
19 After he had overthrown seven nations living in the land of Canaan, God divided their land among the Israelites and gave it to them to inherit. This took about four hundred and fifty years.
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 Then he provided them with judges as leaders until the time of the prophet Samuel.
20 After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
21 Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled for forty years.
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 Then God removed Saul, and made David their king. God approved of David, saying ‘I found David the son of Jesse to be a man according to my own heart; he will do everything I intend.’
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 Jesus is David's descendant; he is the Savior that God promised to bring to Israel.
23 From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise,
24 Before Jesus came, John announced the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
24 before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.
25 As John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one you're looking for. But after me one is coming whose sandals I'm not worthy to untie.’
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 My brothers, children of Abraham and those of you who have reverence for God: the message of this salvation has been sent to us!
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 The people living in Jerusalem and their leaders didn't recognize Jesus or understand the words spoken by the prophets that are read every Sabbath. In fact they fulfilled the prophetic words by condemning him!
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 Even though they couldn't find any evidence to sentence him to death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
28 Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
29 After they had fulfilled everything predicted that they would do to him, they took him down from the cross and buried him in a tomb.
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,
30 But God raised him from the dead,
31 and he appeared over the course of many days to those who had followed him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people.
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 are here to bring to you the good news of the promise that God made to our forefathers,
32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,
33 that he has now fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus from the dead. As it is written in Psalm 2: ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’
33 that God has fulfilled this 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 God raised him from the dead, never to die again, as he indicated by saying, ‘I will give you what is holy and trustworthy, as I promised to David.’
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 As another psalm says, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’
35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’
36 But David died, after he had done what God wanted in his own time, and he was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.
36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.
37 The one God raised from the dead saw no decay.
37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay.
38 My brothers, I want you to understand that we're telling you that through this man sins are forgiven.
38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins;
39 Through him everyone who trusts in him is made morally right from all that is wrong—in a way that you could never be set right by the law of Moses.
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 Make sure that what the prophets said doesn't happen to you:
40 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:
41 ‘You who are scornful, look in amazement, and die! For what I'm doing in your lifetime is something that you could never believe, even if someone told you!’”
41 ‘Behold, you scoffers! 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 As they were leaving, the people pleaded with them to tell them more the next Sabbath.
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 After the meeting in the synagogue, many of the Jews and the converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas who spoke with them, encouraging them to continue to hold on to the grace of God.
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 following Sabbath almost the whole town turned out to hear the word of God.
44 The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
45 However, when the Jews saw the crowds, they became extremely jealous, contradicting what Paul was saying and cursing him.
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 So Paul and Barnabas spoke out strongly, saying “We had to speak the word of God to you first. But now that you're rejecting it—you're deciding that you're not worthy of eternal life—well now we're turning to the foreigners.
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 yourselves, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 That's what the Lord has told us to do: ‘I've made you a light to the foreigners, and through you salvation will go to the ends of the earth.’”
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 When the foreigners heard this they were overjoyed, praising the Lord's word, and all those chosen for eternal life trusted in God.
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 So God's word was spread throughout the region.
49 The Lord’s word was spread abroad throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews incited the prominent religious women and leaders of the city to persecute Paul and Barnabas, and had them expelled from their territory.
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 So they shook the dust off their feet against them as a sign of protest, and went on to Iconium.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
52 And the believers continued to be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Bar-Jesus
A Jewish sorcerer at Paphos, also called Elymas, who opposed Barnabas and Saul and was struck blind.
Cited in the guide: Acts 13:6; Acts 13:8
Lucius
A man from Cyrene listed among the prophets and teachers at Antioch.
Cited in the guide: Acts 13:1
Manaen
A prophet and teacher at Antioch who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch.
Cited in the guide: Acts 13:1
Paul
Formerly Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee who persecuted the church until the risen Jesus met him on the road to Damascus; he became the apostle to the Gentiles and wrote many of the…
Cited in the guide: Acts 7:58; Acts 9:1; Acts 13:9
Sergius Paulus
An intelligent proconsul at Paphos who sought to hear the word of God and believed after Elymas was blinded.
Cited in the guide: Acts 13:7
Simeon
Called Niger, one of the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch when the Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul.
Cited in the guide: Acts 13:1
Places
Antioch (Syrian)
The empire's third-largest city and the first major Gentile church — the launching base for Paul's journeys. (Distinct from Pisidian Antioch.)
Cited in the guide: Acts 11:26; Acts 13:1-3; Galatians 2:11
Iconium
Paphos (Cyprus)
Cross references (52)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 4:36; Acts 15:35; Acts 11:22–27; Galatians 2:9; Acts 13:9
- 2 Galatians 1:15; Acts 9:15; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Romans 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:11
- 3 Acts 6:6; Acts 14:26; 2 Timothy 2:2; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 4:14
- 4 Acts 4:36; Acts 13:2; Acts 11:19; Acts 20:23; Acts 27:4
- 5 Acts 13:14; Acts 13:46; Acts 9:20; Acts 17:17; Acts 12:12
- 6 Matthew 7:15; 1 John 4:1; Mark 10:46; 2 Corinthians 11:13; Exodus 22:18
- 7 Acts 13:12; Acts 19:38; Acts 18:12; Proverbs 18:15; Acts 13:8
- 8 2 Timothy 3:8; 2 Timothy 4:14–15; Acts 13:6–7; Acts 13:12; Acts 9:36
- 9 Micah 3:8; Acts 4:8; Acts 2:4; Acts 7:55; Mark 3:5
- 10 John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Matthew 13:38; Galatians 1:7; Hosea 14:9
- 11 Exodus 9:3; Psalm 32:4; 1 Samuel 5:11; Hebrews 10:31; Job 19:21
- 12 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; Acts 13:7; Luke 4:22; Acts 13:49; Acts 19:7
- 13 Acts 15:38; Acts 13:5–6; Acts 12:12; Acts 2:10; Acts 27:5
- 14 Acts 16:13; Acts 17:2; Acts 14:19; Acts 13:5; Acts 18:4
- 15 Hebrews 13:22; Acts 15:21; Mark 5:22; Romans 12:8; Luke 4:16–18
- 16 Acts 12:17; Acts 13:26; Acts 10:2; Psalm 49:1–3; Psalm 67:7
- 17 Deuteronomy 7:6–8; Isaiah 63:9–14; 1 Peter 2:9; Micah 6:4; Psalm 135:4
- 18 Acts 7:36; Numbers 14:22; Exodus 16:2; Numbers 14:33–34; Deuteronomy 9:21–24
- 19 Deuteronomy 7:1; Psalm 78:55; Acts 7:45; Joshua 19:51; Joshua 14:1
- 20 Judges 2:16; 1 Samuel 3:20; Ruth 1:1; 1 Samuel 12:11; Judges 3:10
- 21 1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 15:1; 1 Samuel 10:21–26; 1 Samuel 11:15; 1 Samuel 8:5–9:2
- 22 1 Samuel 13:13–14; 1 Kings 15:5; 1 Samuel 16:13; Psalm 78:70–72; 1 Samuel 16:1
- 23 Matthew 1:1; Psalm 132:11; Revelation 22:16; Jude 25; Titus 3:3–6
- 24 Acts 1:22; Matthew 3:1–11; Acts 19:3–4; Mark 1:2–8; Luke 3:2–20
- 25 Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7; John 1:26–27; John 1:20–23; Acts 20:24
- 26 Luke 1:69; Luke 1:77; Ephesians 1:13; Romans 1:16; Isaiah 46:13
- 27 Acts 3:17; Romans 11:25; Acts 15:21; Luke 24:20; Acts 26:22–23
- 28 Luke 23:21–25; Matthew 27:22–25; John 19:4; Luke 23:14–16; John 18:38
- 29 Luke 23:53; John 19:30; John 19:28; Mark 15:45–46; Matthew 27:57–60
- 30 Acts 2:24; Acts 17:31; Matthew 28:6; Acts 4:10; Acts 5:30–31
- 31 Luke 24:48; Acts 1:3; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 15:5–7; Matthew 28:16
- 32 Romans 4:13; Acts 26:6; Ezekiel 34:23; Romans 9:4; Jeremiah 23:5
- 33 Psalm 2:7; Hebrews 5:5; Hebrews 1:5–6
- 34 Isaiah 55:3; Psalm 89:2–4; Romans 6:9; Psalm 89:19–37; Ezekiel 34:23–24
- 35 Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27–31; Acts 13:36–37; John 8:51; Luke 2:26
- 36 Acts 2:29; 1 Kings 2:10; 2 Samuel 7:12; Acts 13:22; 1 Chronicles 18:14
- 37 Acts 13:30; Acts 2:24
- 38 Luke 24:47; 1 John 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; Colossians 1:14; Acts 5:31
- 39 Galatians 2:16; Romans 10:4; Hebrews 7:19; Romans 8:3; Romans 10:10
- 40 Malachi 4:1; Habakkuk 1:5; Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 12:25; Malachi 3:2
- 41 Habakkuk 1:5; 1 Peter 4:17; Romans 11:7–14; Isaiah 28:14–22; Colossians 1:26–27
- 42 Acts 28:28; Matthew 19:30; Ezekiel 3:6; Matthew 11:21; Acts 10:33
- 43 Acts 11:23; Acts 14:22; Hebrews 12:15; Hebrews 13:9; 2 John 9
- 44 Isaiah 11:10; Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 60:8; Psalm 110:3
- 45 Jude 10; Acts 18:6; Acts 19:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:16; Acts 5:17
- 46 Acts 28:28; Matthew 21:43; Acts 18:5–6; Acts 26:20; Acts 3:26
- 47 Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 42:6; Luke 2:32; Isaiah 45:22; Zechariah 8:20–23
- 48 Romans 8:29–30; Ephesians 1:4; Romans 11:7; John 10:26–27; John 10:16
- 49 Acts 12:24; Philippians 1:13–14; Acts 19:10; Acts 19:26; Acts 9:42
- 50 Acts 14:2; Acts 13:45; Acts 14:19; Acts 17:13; Acts 21:27
- 51 Matthew 10:14; Luke 9:5; Acts 18:6; Mark 6:11; Acts 14:21
- 52 Romans 15:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Acts 4:31; Romans 5:3; Galatians 5:22
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
As soon as they were ordained they went forth, and hasted to Cyprus, that being a place where was no ill-design hatching against them, and where moreover the Word had been sown already. In Antioch there were (teachers) enough, and Phoenice too was near to Palestine; but Cyprus not so.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
For to the enemies of Christ who are reproached with this, that Christ hath left them, turning to the Gentiles, this speech is incongruously assigned, "Remember, Lord, the reproach of Thy servants," for such Jews are not to be styled the servants of God; but these words fit those who, if they suffered great humiliations through persecution for the name …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Wherefore also God said, "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart." Such a spirit as this let us too acquire, and whatever we may suffer we shall bear it easily, and before the Kingdom, we shall reap here the gain accruing from lowliness of mind.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Ezekiel also speaks thus, The Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and said unto me, Thus saith the Lord. And again, The Holy Ghost said, unto the Apostles who were in Antioch, Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
"Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Does a slave speak thus?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)