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.
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Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed God's message in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.
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When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
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He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear God's message.
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But Elymas, the sorcerer, which is how his name is translated, opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
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Then Saul-also called Paul-filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at the sorcerer
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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?
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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.
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Then the proconsul, seeing what happened, believed and was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
Paul's Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia
13 Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and went back to Jerusalem.
14
They continued their journey from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
15
After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent [word] to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any message of encouragement for the people, you can speak."
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Then standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and spoke: "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen!
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The God of this people Israel chose our forefathers, exalted the people during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty arm.
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And for about 40 years He put up with them in the desert;
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then after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land to them as an inheritance.
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This all took about 450 years. After this, He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
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Then they asked for a king, so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years.
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After removing him, He raised up David as their king, of whom He testified: ' I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will carry out all My will.'
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"From this man's descendants, according to the promise, God brought the Savior, Jesus, to Israel.
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Before He came to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
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Then as John was completing his life work, he said, 'Who do you think I am? I am not the One. But look! Someone is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on His feet.'