Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins (Acts 15:36–41; Acts 18:23–28)
3 ULT Then, having fasted and prayed, and having laid{ their} hands on them, they released them. BSB BSB: And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
On Cyprus 4 ULT So they, having been sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed away to Cyprus. BSB BSB: So Barnabas and Saul, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
5 ULT And having arrived in Salamis, they were proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they also had John as an assistant. BSB BSB: When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.
6 ULT And having passed through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a Jewish false prophet, whose name{ was} Bar Jesus, BSB BSB: They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
8 ULT But Elymas,“the Magician”(for thus is his name translated), opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. BSB BSB: But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
9 ULT But Saul, also Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, staring at him intently, BSB BSB: Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas
10 ULT said,“O full of all deceit and all trickery, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop turning aside the straight paths of the Lord? BSB BSB: and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
11 ULT And now, behold, the hand of the Lord{ is} upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him, and going around, he was seeking someone to lead him by the hand. BSB BSB: Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
12 ULT Then the proconsul, having seen the{ thing} having happened, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. BSB BSB: When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
In Pisidian Antioch 13 ULT Now having put to sea from Paphos, the ones around Paul came to Perga of Pamphylia. But John, withdrawing from them, returned to Jerusalem. BSB BSB: After setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
15 ULT And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent to them, saying,“Men, brothers, if any word of exhortation for the people is in you, speak.” BSB BSB: After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
17 ULT The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm he led them out of it. BSB BSB: The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.
18 ULT And for about a 40- year time, he endured them in the wilderness. BSB BSB: He endured their conduct for about forty years in the wilderness.
19 ULT And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, BSB BSB: And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance.
20 ULT in about 450 years. And after these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. BSB BSB: All this took about 450 years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
21 ULT And then they requested a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years. BSB BSB: Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.
22 ULT And having removed him, he raised up David for them for{ their} king, about whom also he said, testifying,‘I have found David,{ son} of Jesse, a man according to my heart, who will do all my will.’ BSB BSB: After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’
23 ULT From the seed of this one, according to promise, God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, BSB BSB: From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.
24 ULT John having announced beforehand, before the face of his entrance, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. BSB BSB: Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 ULT And as John was completing{ his} course, he was saying,‘Who do you think me to be? I am not he. But behold, one is coming after me, of whom the sandals of{ his} feet I am not worthy to untie.’ BSB BSB: As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But there is One coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’
27 ULT For the ones living in Jerusalem and their rulers, not recognizing this one and condemning him, fulfilled the voices of the prophets being read on every Sabbath. BSB BSB: The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
28 ULT And finding no reason for death, they asked Pilate for him to be killed. BSB BSB: And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed.
29 ULT And when they had completed all the things having been written about him, taking him down from the tree, they laid him in a tomb. BSB BSB: When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.
30 ULT But God raised him from the dead, BSB BSB: But God raised Him from the dead,
31 ULT who was seen for many days by the ones having come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who now are his witnesses to the people. BSB BSB: and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.
32 ULT And we are proclaiming to you the promise having been to{ our} fathers, BSB BSB: And now we proclaim to you the good news: What God promised our fathers
33 ULT that God has completely fulfilled this for our children, raising up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:‘You are my Son; today I have fathered you.’ BSB BSB: He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’
34 ULT And that he raised him up from the dead, never going to return to decay, he has spoken thus:‘I will give you the holy, trustworthy things of David.’ BSB BSB: In fact, God raised Him from the dead, never to see decay. As He has said: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’
35 ULT For in another{ place} he also says:‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’ BSB BSB: So also, He says in another Psalm: ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’
36 ULT For indeed David, having served the counsel of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw decay. BSB BSB: For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay.
37 ULT But he whom God raised up did not see decay. BSB BSB: But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
38 ULT So let it be known to you, men, brothers, that through this one release of sins is proclaimed to you and from everything of which you were not able to be justified in the law of Moses. BSB BSB: Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
39 ULT In this one, everyone believing is justified. BSB BSB: Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 ULT Look, therefore that the thing spoken about in the prophets may not come upon you: BSB BSB: Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:
41 ULT ‘Look, you despisers, and marvel and be destroyed! For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you would not believe at all, even if someone announced it to you.’” BSB BSB: ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”
A Light for the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:1–6)
42 ULT And as they were leaving, they were begging these words to be spoken to them on the next Sabbath. BSB BSB: As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath.
43 ULT And when the synagogue meeting was ended, many of the Jews and the worshiping proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. BSB BSB: After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44 ULT And on the next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of the Lord. BSB BSB: On the following Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
45 ULT But seeing the crowds, the Jews were filled with jealousy, and they were speaking against the things being said by Paul, blaspheming. BSB BSB: But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.
46 ULT And Paul and Barnabas, speaking boldly, said,“It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves not worthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. BSB BSB: Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
47 ULT For thus the Lord has commanded us:‘I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, for you to be for salvation as far as the end of the earth.’” BSB BSB: For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
48 ULT But hearing this, the Gentiles were rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. BSB BSB: When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49 ULT And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout the whole region. BSB BSB: And the word of the Lord spread throughout that region.
50 ULT But the Jews stirred up the influential worshiping women and the principal ones of the city and aroused a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and they threw them out from their boundaries. BSB BSB: The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
51 ULT But they, having shaken off the dust of{ their} feet against them, went to Iconium. BSB BSB: So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.
52 ULT But the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. BSB BSB: And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.