1. The church at Antioch included prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (nicknamed Niger), Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen (a childhood friend of Herod the ruler), and Saul.
2. As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul to the work I have called them to undertake."
3. After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on these two and sent them off.
4. After the Holy Spirit sent them on their way, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
5. In Salamis they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant.
6. They traveled throughout the island until they arrived at Paphos. There they found a certain man named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who was a false prophet and practiced sorcery.
7. He kept company with the governor of that province, an intelligent man named Sergius Paulus. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul since he wanted to hear God’s word.
8. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that’s what people understood his name meant) opposed them, trying to steer the governor away from the faith.
9. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Saul, also known as Paul, glared at Bar-Jesus and
10. said, "You are a deceiver and trickster! You devil! You attack anything that is right! Will you never stop twisting the straight ways of the Lord into crooked paths?
11. Listen! The Lord’s power is set against you. You will be blind for a while, unable even to see the daylight." At once, Bar-Jesus’ eyes were darkened, and he began to grope about for someone to lead him around by the hand.
12. When the governor saw what had taken place, he came to believe, for he was astonished by the teaching about the Lord.
13. Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia. John deserted them there and returned to Jerusalem.
14. They went on from Perga and arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath, they entered and found seats in the synagogue there.
15. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders invited them, "Brothers, if one of you has a sermon for the people, please speak."
16. Standing up, Paul gestured with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites and Gentile God-worshippers, please listen to me.
17. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors. God made them a great people while they lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. With his great power, he led them out of that country.
18. For about forty years, God put up with them in the wilderness.
19. God conquered seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the Israelites their land as an inheritance.
20. This happened over a period of about four hundred fifty years. “After this, he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel.