Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins
(Acts 15:36–41; Acts 18:23–28)

1Now there were in Antioch, in the assembly which was there, prophets and teachers; both Barnabas and Symeon who is called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenean, and Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2And, while they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate now to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3Then, having fasted and prayed, and having laid hands on them, they sent them away.

On Cyprus

4They, therefore, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down into Seleucia; and thence they sailed away to Cyprus. 5And, having arrived in Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had John also as an attendant. 6And, having gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man; the same having called for Barnabas and Saul, desired to hear the word of God; 8but Elymas, the sorcerer (for so his name is interpreted) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith. 9But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looking intently upon him, 10said, "O full of all guile, and all villainy, son of the Devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you; and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season." And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and, going about, he was seeking some to lead him by the hand. 12Then the proconsul, seeing what had taken place, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

In Pisidian Antioch

13Now setting sail from Paphos, Paul's company came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, withdrawing from them, returned to Jerusalem. 14But they, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch in Pisidia; and, entering into the synagogue on the sabbath day, they sat down. 15And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brethren, if there is among you any word of exhortation for the people, speak." 16And Paul, standing up, and beckoning with his hand, said, "Men of Israel, and ye who fear God, hearken! 17The God of this people Israel chose our fathers; and He exalted the people in their sojourn in the land of Egypt; and, with a high arm, He led them forth out of it. 18And for about the time of forty years He bore them as a nursing father in the wilderness. 19And, having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed by lot their land to them for about four hundred and fifty years. 20And after these things He gave them judges, until Samuel the prophet. 21And afterward they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul, a son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years; 22and, having removed him, He raised up for them David to be their king; to whom bearing testimony, He said, 'I found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.' 23From the seed of this one, God, according to promise, brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus; 24John having first preached, before His coming, the immersion of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25And, as John was fulfilling his course, he said, 'What do ye suppose me to be? I am not He. But, behold, there cometh One after me, the sandals of Whose feet I am not worthy to unloose.'

26Brethren, sons of Abraham's race, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation was sent forth. 27For those dwelling in Jerusalem, and their rulers, not knowing Him, nor the voices of the prophets which are being read every sabbath, fulfilled them, in having condemned Him; 28and, though finding not one cause of death, they asked of Pilate that He should be slain. 29And, when they fulfilled all things that were written concerning Him, having taken Him down from the tree, they laid Him in a tomb. 30But God raised Him from the dead; 31Who was seen, during many days, by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem; who, indeed, are now His witnesses to the people. 32And we declare to you good tidings of the promise made to the fathers, 33that God hath fulfilled this for our children, having raised up Jesus; as it has been written in the second Psalm, 'Thou art My Son! To-day have I begotten Thee!' 34And that He raised Him up from the dead no more to return to corruption, He hath thus spoken, 'I will give to you the holy and faithful promises of David.' 35Wherefore, in another place, He saith, 'Thou wilt not give Thy Holy One to see corruption.' 36For David, indeed, having served his own generation according to the will of God, fell asleep, and was added to his fathers, and saw corruption; 37but He Whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38Be it known to you, brethren, that through This One is proclaimed to you forgiveness of sins; 39and in Him every one who believes is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken in the prophets,

41'Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; because I do a work in your days?a work which ye will by no means believe, though one should fully declare it to you.'

A Light for the Gentiles

42And, as they were going out, they kept beseeching him that these words might be spoken to them on the next sabbath. 43And, the synagogue having been dismissed, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, indeed, speaking to them, were persuading them to continue in the grace of God.

44And, on the next sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God. 45But the Jews, seeing the multitudes, were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things spoken by Paul, blaspheming. 46Speaking boldly, both Paul and Barnabas said, "It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Inasmuch as ye thrust it away from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the gentiles;

47for so hath the Lord commanded us, 'I have set Thee for a Light of the gentiles, that Thou mayest be for salvation to the uttermost part of the earth.'"

48And the gentiles, having heard it, were rejoicing, and glorifying the word of God; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was being spread abroad through that whole country. 50But the Jews urged on the devout and reputable women, and the principal men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of their borders; 51and they, having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium. 52And the disciples were being filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.