Preparing for the Mission Field
1 In the local church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2
As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work that I have called them to."
3
Then, after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.
The Mission to Cyprus
4 Being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they came down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
5
Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed God's message in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.
6
When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
7
He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear God's message.
8
But Elymas, the sorcerer, which is how his name is translated, opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9
Then Saul-also called Paul-filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at the sorcerer
10
and said, "You son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all fraud, enemy of all righteousness! Won't you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord?
11
Now, look! The Lord's hand is against you: you are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time." Suddenly a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
12
Then the proconsul, seeing what happened, believed and was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.