Part 17

013:005 Having reached Salamis, they began to announce God's Message in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as their assistant.

013:006 When they had gone through the whole length of the island as far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magician and false prophet, Bar-Jesus by name,

013:007 who was a friend of the Proconsul Sergius Paulus. The Proconsul was a man of keen intelligence. He sent for Barnabas and Saul, and asked to be told God's Message.

013:008 But Elymas (or `the Magician,' for such is the meaning of the name) opposed them, and tried to prevent the Proconsul from accepting the faith.

013:009 Then Saul, who is also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, fixing his eyes on Elymas,

013:010 said, "You who are full of every kind of craftiness and unscrupulous cunning--you son of the Devil and foe to all that is right--will you never cease to misrepresent the straight paths of the Lord?

013:011 The Lord's hand is now upon you, and you will be blind for a time and unable to see the light of day." Instantly there fell upon him a mist and a darkness, and, as he walked about, he begged people to lead him by the hand.

013:012 Then the Proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed, being struck with amazement at the teaching of the Lord.

013:013 From Paphos, Paul and his party put out to sea and sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem.

013:014 But they themselves, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch in Pisidia. Here, on the Sabbath day, they went into the synagogue and sat down.

013:015 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the Wardens of the synagogue sent word to them. "Brethren," they said, "if you have anything encouraging to say to the people, speak."

013:016 So Paul rose, and motioning with his hand for silence, said, "Israelites, and you others who fear God, pay attention to me.

013:017 The God of this people of Israel chose our forefathers, and made the people great during their stay in Egypt, until with wondrous power He brought them out from that land.

013:018 For a period of about forty years, He fed them, like a nurse, in the Desert.

013:019 Then, after overthrowing seven nations in the land of Canaan, He divided that country among them as their inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years;

013:020 and afterwards He gave them judges down to the time of the Prophet Samuel.

013:021 Next they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a Benjamite, who reigned forty years.

013:022 After removing him, He raised up David to be their king, to whom He also bore witness when He said, "`I have found David the son of Jesse, a man I love, who will obey all My commands.'

013:023 "It is from among David's descendants that God, in fulfilment of His promise, has raised up a Saviour for Israel, even Jesus.

013:024 Before the coming of Jesus, John had proclaimed to all the people of Israel a baptism of repentance.

013:025 But John, towards the end of his career, repeatedly asked the people, "`What do you suppose me to be? I am not the Christ. But there is One coming after me whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten.'

013:026 "Brethren, descendants of the family of Abraham, and all among you who fear God, to us has this Message of salvation been sent.

013:027 For the people of Jerusalem and their rulers, by the judgement they pronounced on Jesus, have actually fulfilled the predictions of the Prophets which are read Sabbath after Sabbath, through ignorance of those predictions and of Him.

013:028 Without having found Him guilty of any capital offence they urged Pilate to have Him put to death;

013:029 and when they had carried out everything which had been written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

013:030 "But God raised Him from the dead.

013:031 And, after a few days, He appeared to the people who had gone up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem and are now witnesses concerning Him to the Jews.

013:032 And we bring you the Good News about the promise made to our forefathers,