Acts 12:25-15:41

New International Version

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

²⁵ When Barnabas^(A) and Saul had finished their mission,^(B) they returned from^[a] Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.^(C) 13 ¹ Now in the church at Antioch^(D) there were prophets^(E) and teachers:^(F) Barnabas,^(G) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,^(H) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod^(I) the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,^(J) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work^(K) to which I have called them.”^{(L) 3} So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them^(M) and sent them off.^(N)

On Cyprus

⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,^(O) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.^{(P) 5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God^(Q) in the Jewish synagogues.^(R) John^(S) was with them as their helper.

⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer^(T) and false prophet^(U) named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul,^(V) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer^(W) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul^(X) from the faith.^{(Y) 9} Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(Z) looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil^(AA) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?^{(AB) 11} Now the hand of the Lord is against you.^(AC) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”^(AD)

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul^(AE) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

In Pisidian Antioch

¹³ From Paphos,^(AF) Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia,^(AG) where John^(AH) left them to return to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.^(AI) On the Sabbath^(AJ) they entered the synagogue^(AK) and sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading from the Law^(AL) and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

¹⁶ Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand^(AM) and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! ¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;^{(AN) 18} for about forty years he endured their conduct^[b](AO) in the wilderness;^{(AP) 19} and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,^(AQ) giving their land to his people^(AR) as their inheritance.^{(AS) 20} All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges^(AT) until the time of Samuel the prophet.^{(AU) 21} Then the people asked for a king,^(AV) and he gave them Saul^(AW) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,^(AX) who ruled forty years. ²² After removing Saul,^(AY) he made David their king.^(AZ) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;^(BA) he will do everything I want him to do.’^(BB)

²³ “From this man’s descendants^(BC) God has brought to Israel the Savior^(BD) Jesus,^(BE) as he promised.^{(BF) 24} Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.^{(BG) 25} As John was completing his work,^(BH) he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for.^(BI) But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’^(BJ)

²⁶ “Fellow children of Abraham^(BK) and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation^(BL) has been sent. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus,^(BM) yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets^(BN) that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.^{(BO) 29} When they had carried out all that was written about him,^(BP) they took him down from the cross^(BQ) and laid him in a tomb.^{(BR) 30} But God raised him from the dead,^{(BS) 31} and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.^(BT) They are now his witnesses^(BU) to our people.

³² “We tell you the good news:^(BV) What God promised our ancestors^{(BW) 33} he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.^(BX) As it is written in the second Psalm:

³⁴ God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

³⁵ So it is also stated elsewhere:

³⁶ “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;^(CB) he was buried with his ancestors^(CC) and his body decayed. ³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead^(CD) did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.^{(CE) 39} Through him everyone who believes^(CF) is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.^{(CG) 40} Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue,^(CI) the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.^(CJ)

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying^(CK) and heaped abuse^(CL) on him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first.^(CM) Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.^{(CN) 47} For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord;^(CQ) and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord^(CR) spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.^{(CS) 51} So they shook the dust off their feet^(CT) as a warning to them and went to Iconium.^{(CU) 52} And the disciples^(CV) were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.^(CW)

In Iconium

14 At Iconium^(CX) Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue.^(CY) There they spoke so effectively that a great number^(CZ) of Jews and Greeks believed. ² But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.^{(DA) 3} So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly^(DB) for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.^{(DC) 4} The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.^{(DD) 5} There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews,^(DE) together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them.^{(DF) 6} But they found out about it and fled^(DG) to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, ⁷ where they continued to preach^(DH) the gospel.^(DI)

In Lystra and Derbe

⁸ In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth^(DJ) and had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed^{(DK) 10} and called out, “Stand up on your feet!”^(DL) At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.^(DM)

¹¹ When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”^{(DN) 12} Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.^{(DO) 13} The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes^(DP) and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: ¹⁵ “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human,^(DQ) like you. We are bringing you good news,^(DR) telling you to turn from these worthless things^(DS) to the living God,^(DT) who made the heavens and the earth^(DU) and the sea and everything in them.^{(DV) 16} In the past, he let^(DW) all nations go their own way.^{(DX) 17} Yet he has not left himself without testimony:^(DY) He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;^(DZ) he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”^{(EA) 18} Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ Then some Jews^(EB) came from Antioch and Iconium^(EC) and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul^(ED) and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. ²⁰ But after the disciples^(EE) had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

The Return to Antioch in Syria

²¹ They preached the gospel^(EF) in that city and won a large number^(EG) of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium^(EH) and Antioch, ²² strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.^(EI) “We must go through many hardships^(EJ) to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. ²³ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders^[j](EK) for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting,^(EL) committed them to the Lord,^(EM) in whom they had put their trust. ²⁴ After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia,^{(EN) 25} and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

²⁶ From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch,^(EO) where they had been committed to the grace of God^(EP) for the work they had now completed.^{(EQ) 27} On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them^(ER) and how he had opened a door^(ES) of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.^(ET)

The Council at Jerusalem

15 Certain people^(EU) came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers:^(EV) “Unless you are circumcised,^(EW) according to the custom taught by Moses,^(EX) you cannot be saved.” ² This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem^(EY) to see the apostles and elders^(EZ) about this question. ³ The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia^(FA) and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted.^(FB) This news made all the believers very glad. ⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.^(FC)

⁵ Then some of the believers who belonged to the party^(FD) of the Pharisees^(FE) stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”^(FF)

⁶ The apostles and elders met to consider this question. ⁷ After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.^{(FG) 8} God, who knows the heart,^(FH) showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,^(FI) just as he did to us. ⁹ He did not discriminate between us and them,^(FJ) for he purified their hearts by faith.^{(FK) 10} Now then, why do you try to test God^(FL) by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke^(FM) that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace^(FN) of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

¹² The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders^(FO) God had done among the Gentiles through them.^{(FP) 13} When they finished, James^(FQ) spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon^[k] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.^{(FR) 15} The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

¹⁹ “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. ²⁰ Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols,^(FU) from sexual immorality,^(FV) from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.^{(FW) 21} For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”^(FX)

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then the apostles and elders,^(FY) with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch^(FZ) with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas,^(GA) men who were leaders among the believers. ²³ With them they sent the following letter:

³⁰ So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. ³¹ The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. ³² Judas and Silas,^(GK) who themselves were prophets,^(GL) said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. ³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace^(GM) to return to those who had sent them. ^{[34] [n] 35} But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached^(GN) the word of the Lord.^(GO)

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns^(GP) where we preached the word of the Lord^(GQ) and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,^(GR) with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them^(GS) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas^(GT) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.^{(GU) 41} He went through Syria^(GV) and Cilicia,^(GW) strengthening the churches.^(GX)