Acts 13
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 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 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their attendant.
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 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 Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him,
10 and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all villainy, enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
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, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
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 But they, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.
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, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.
17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as foreigners in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm he led them out of it.
18 For about the time of forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.
20 After these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
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 From this man’s offspring God has brought salvation to Israel, according to his promise, Jesus;
24 before his coming, John had preached the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
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 “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 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 Though they found no cause of death in him, they asked Pilate that he should be killed.
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,
31 and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.
32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,
33 that God has fulfilled the same 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 As 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 Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’
36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay;
37 but he whom God raised up saw no decay.
38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,
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 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:
41 ‘Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, 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 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
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 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
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 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 For so the Lord has 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 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
49 The word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews incited the devout women of honorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13 Commentary
Chapter Overview
Acts 13 marks a major transition in the spread of the gospel. The diverse church at Antioch worships, fasts, and listens as the Holy Spirit calls Barnabas and Saul to a new work. The congregation prays, lays hands on them, and sends them out, beginning the missionary journey that continues through Acts 14.
On Cyprus, the missionaries proclaim God’s word and confront Elymas, a false prophet who tries to prevent the Roman proconsul from believing. Saul, now identified by his Roman name Paul, announces a temporary judgment of blindness. Sergius Paulus believes, impressed not merely by the sign but by the teaching of the Lord.
After John Mark leaves the team, Paul and Barnabas travel to Pisidian Antioch. Paul’s synagogue sermon traces God’s faithfulness from Israel’s ancestors through David and John the Baptist to Jesus. He emphasizes Jesus’ unjust death, bodily resurrection, and fulfillment of Scripture, then announces forgiveness and justification to everyone who believes.
The message attracts widespread interest but also serious opposition. Paul and Barnabas explain that the gospel was rightly offered first to Israel and must now reach the nations. They are expelled from the region, yet the word spreads, new believers rejoice, and the disciples remain filled with the Holy Spirit.
Key Themes
The leaders at Antioch reflect the church’s growing diversity described in Acts 11. Barnabas came from Cyprus, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen had connections to Herod’s court, and Saul had once persecuted believers. Simeon’s surname Niger means “black” or “dark” in Latin, though the name alone cannot establish every detail of his ethnicity. Christ has joined people from very different backgrounds in shared leadership.
The church is worshiping and fasting when the Spirit speaks. Mission begins in devotion, not merely strategy. Barnabas and Saul are set apart for work to which God has already called them; the laying on of hands expresses identification, blessing, and shared responsibility. The same men are sent by the congregation and by the Holy Spirit, showing divine guidance working through accountable church action.
The missionaries begin in Jewish synagogues on Cyprus, a pattern Paul continues in Acts 17. This honors the history of God’s covenant promises and gives access to hearers who know the Scriptures. The later outreach to Gentiles is not a rejection of Jewish people; Paul and Barnabas are Jewish, and many Jewish listeners receive the gospel.
Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas, combines religious language with magical influence and political access. Like Simon’s earlier misuse of spiritual power in Acts 8, his conduct shows that impressive claims must be tested. Paul calls him a son of the devil because he deliberately twists the Lord’s straight paths and tries to turn another person away from faith.
Paul’s severe rebuke is directed at active deception, not sincere doubt. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he announces a specific and temporary blindness. The judgment echoes Saul’s helplessness on the Damascus road in Acts 9, but Luke does not say Elymas later repented. Christians should not turn this apostolic act into permission to curse opponents from personal anger.
Verse 9 does not describe a conversion-related name change. As a Jew of the Roman world, Saul could use both a Hebrew and a Roman name. Luke begins using “Paul” as the mission engages a Roman official. Sergius Paulus then believes, astonished at the Lord’s teaching; the sign confirms the message rather than replacing it with spectacle.
John Mark leaves at Perga and returns to Jerusalem. Luke does not explain whether the cause was fear, illness, disagreement, or another concern. His departure later contributes to Paul and Barnabas’s dispute in Acts 15, so it mattered, but responsible commentary should not build a detailed judgment on an unstated motive.
At Pisidian Antioch, Paul accepts an invitation to speak after readings from the Law and the Prophets. He begins with shared Scripture and history, then shows how that story reaches its goal in Jesus. Effective witness understands an audience’s context without changing the substance of the gospel.
Paul’s historical summary repeatedly makes God the acting subject: God chose, exalted, led, endured, gave, removed, and raised up. Israel’s story is not mainly a record of human religious achievement but of divine patience and promise. Even David serves God’s purpose within his generation rather than becoming the final hope.
Jesus is presented as David’s promised descendant, while John the Baptist denies being the Messiah. John’s humility protects the uniqueness of Christ. Faithful ministry does not gather ultimate attention around the messenger but directs hearers to the one whose sandals John considered himself unworthy to untie.
Paul holds human guilt and divine fulfillment together in Jesus’ death. Jerusalem’s rulers failed to recognize him and condemned an innocent man, yet their actions fulfilled the prophetic Scriptures. God’s sovereignty does not make injustice good or remove responsibility; it means human rebellion cannot overturn his saving purpose.
The resurrection is the decisive reversal: “But God raised him from the dead.” Jesus appeared for many days to public witnesses, agreeing with the testimony established from Acts 1 and summarized in Luke 24. The gospel rests on God’s action in history rather than on a private spiritual impression.
Paul uses Psalm 2, Isaiah 55, and Psalm 16 to explain Jesus’ vindication and resurrection. “Today I have begotten you” does not mean the Son began to exist at that moment; in its royal setting it speaks of public installation and recognition. The surrounding verses stress that Jesus was raised never again to return to decay.
David served God’s purpose and died, but Jesus did not see corruption. Paul honors David while showing that David’s own words point beyond him. Biblical leaders are faithful servants, not final saviors. Their work belongs to a generation; Christ’s risen life and kingdom cannot be ended by death.
Verses 38–39 bring the sermon to its saving appeal. Through Jesus, forgiveness is proclaimed, and everyone who believes is justified from what the law of Moses could not finally justify. Paul is not calling God’s law evil; he is declaring, as Romans 3 explains more fully, that complete acquittal comes through Christ rather than human law-keeping.
The warning from Habakkuk shows that good news demands a response. Familiarity with Scripture does not guarantee recognition of God’s work. Astonishment can lead to faith, but it can also harden into refusal when the message challenges pride, status, or established expectations.
When opposition intensifies, Paul and Barnabas say it was necessary to speak God’s word first to their Jewish hearers. “You judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life” describes the consequence of rejection, not an insult against an ethnicity. Luke distinguishes specific hostile opponents from the many Jews and God-fearing Gentiles who responded positively.
Paul applies the servant’s mission in Isaiah 49 to gospel proclamation. Jesus uniquely fulfills the servant’s saving work, and his messengers carry that salvation to the earth’s ends. The Gentile mission is therefore not an emergency adjustment after resistance; it belongs to God’s scriptural purpose.
“As many as were appointed to eternal life believed” places salvation under God’s gracious initiative while also reporting the real act of believing. The verse should be allowed to affirm both truths without forcing it to settle every later debate about election, freedom, and the precise order of salvation.
Opponents use influential citizens and civic leaders to expel Paul and Barnabas. The missionaries shake off the dust and move to Iconium rather than retaliating or declaring the mission a failure. The chapter ends with joy and the Holy Spirit: teachers may be driven away, but God remains with the new disciples and his word continues spreading.
Important Verses
Verses 2–3 show a church discerning mission through worship, fasting, prayer, and communal confirmation. Barnabas and Saul are not self-appointed religious entrepreneurs. Their calling comes from the Spirit and is embraced by a congregation willing to release gifted leaders for work beyond itself.
Verse 12 keeps sign and message in their proper relationship. Sergius Paulus sees Elymas judged, but he is amazed at the Lord’s teaching. Extraordinary events may gain attention, yet saving faith rests on the truth God reveals rather than on spectacle alone.
Verses 30–31 state the center of Paul’s sermon: God raised Jesus, and witnesses saw him alive. The resurrection answers the injustice of the cross, confirms Jesus’ identity, and provides the historical foundation for the forgiveness Paul is about to proclaim.
Verses 38–39 announce forgiveness and justification through Jesus to everyone who believes. What the law could not provide as a final verdict, Christ supplies through his saving work. The invitation is broad, but it is not vague: the promised freedom is found in him.
Verses 47–49 connect local preaching with God’s worldwide purpose. The gospel is light for the nations and salvation to the ends of the earth. Opposition may close one platform, but it cannot cancel the mission written into Scripture or prevent the word from spreading through a region.
Practical Applications
Let worship shape mission. Before Antioch sends workers, its leaders serve the Lord, fast, and listen. Churches should plan carefully, but planning is healthiest when it grows from prayerful devotion and a willingness to obey direction that may require releasing valued people.
Test spiritual influence by its relationship to truth. Elymas has access, confidence, and religious vocabulary, yet he works to turn another person away from faith. Do not confuse charisma, unusual experiences, or proximity to power with faithfulness. The Lord’s straight ways remain the standard.
Explain the gospel as the fulfillment of God’s work, not as an isolated slogan. Paul connects covenant history, David’s promise, Jesus’ death, resurrection, forgiveness, and faith. Learn to show how the biblical story leads to Christ while keeping the invitation understandable to the listener.
Do not let rejection determine the worth of faithful ministry. Paul and Barnabas face jealousy, slander, and expulsion, yet the word spreads and disciples rejoice. Measure obedience by fidelity to Christ, truthful proclamation, and love for people—not solely by whether influential hearers approve.
Serve God’s purpose in your generation. David’s life was limited, John Mark’s usefulness was still developing, and the missionaries had to move from place to place. You are not responsible for controlling the entire future. Be faithful in the work given now and trust God with the final outcome.