Acts Chapter 13

From The Open Bible Project

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.

• (1) Paul with Barnabas is again the second time appointed apostle of the Gentiles, not of man, neither by man, but by an extraordinary commandment of the Holy Spirit.
• (a) This was the same Antipas who put John the Baptist to death.

13:2 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."

• (b) While they were busy doing their office, that is, as Chrysostom expounds it, while they were preaching.
• (c) The Lord is said to call, from which this word "called" comes from, which is common in the Church, when he causes that to be which was not, whether you refer it to the matter itself, or to any quality or thing about the matter: and the use of the word "call" has come about because when things begin to be, then they have some name: and furthermore this also declares God�s mighty power, in that he spoke the word, and things were made.

13:3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

• (2) Fasting and solemn prayers were used before the laying on of hands.

13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.

• (3) Paul and his companions first bring Cyprus to the subjection and obedience of Christ.
• (d) Seleucia was a city of Cilicia, so called after Seleucus, one of Alexander's successors.

13:5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They had also John as their attendant.

13:6 When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar Jesus,

13:7 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.

13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.

• (4) The devil makes Christ's victory more glorious in that he sets himself against him.

13:9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him,

13:10 and said, "Full of all deceit and all cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

• (5) The sorcerer, who was stricken by Paul with a physical punishment (although extraordinarily), shows an example to lawful magistrates how they ought to punish those who wickedly and obstinately hinder the course of the Gospel.
• (e) He points out a fault of those who run eagerly and with great desire into all types of wickedness with the least bit of prompting from the world.

13:11 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. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

• (f) His power which he shows in striking and beating down his enemies.

13:12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

13:13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.

• (6) An example in one and the very same group of people both of singular steadfastness, and also of great weakness.

13:14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.

• (g) This distinguishes between it, and Antioch which was in Syria.

13:15 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."

• (7) In the Synagogue of the Jews (according to the pattern of which Christian congregations were instituted) the Scriptures were read first, then those who were learned were licensed by the rulers of the Synagogue to speak and expound.
• (h) Literally, "If there is any word in you": this is a kind of speech taken from the Hebrews, by which is meant that the gifts of God�s grace are in us, as it were in treasure houses, and that they are not ours, but God�s. In the same way David says, "Thou hast put a new song in my mouth"; (Psalms 40:3).

13:16 Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.

• (8) God bestowed many wonderful benefits upon his chosen Israel, but especially this, that he promised them the everlasting redeemer.

13:17 The God of this people[48] chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.

• (i) Advanced and brought to honour.
• (k) Openly and with strong power, breaking in pieces the enemies of his people.

13:18 For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.

13:19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred fifty years.

13:20 After these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.

• (l) There were from the birth of Isaac until the destruction of the Canaanites under the governance of Joshua four hundred and forty-seven years, and therefore he adds in this place the word "about", for three years are missing; the apostle, however, uses the whole greater number.

13:21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

• (m) In this space of forty years the time of Samuel must be counted and included with the days of Saul, for the kingdom did as it were include his administration.

13:22 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.'

13:23 From this man's seed, God has brought [49] salvation [See Acts Footnotes 49] to Israel according to his promise,

• (9) He proves by the witness of John that Jesus is the Saviour who would come from David.

13:24 before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance [50] to Israel. [See Acts Footnotes 50]

• (n) John as a herald did not show Christ coming from afar off, as the other prophets did, but right at hand and having already begun his journey.

13:25 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.'

13:26 Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.

• (10) Christ was promised and sent appropriately to the Jews.

13:27 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.

• (11) All things came to pass to Christ, which the Prophets foretold concerning the Messiah: so that by this also it appears that he is the true and only saviour: and yet nonetheless they are not to be excused who did not only not receive him, but also persecuted him most cruelly, even though he was innocent.

13:28 Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.

13:29 When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.

13:30 But God raised him from the dead,

• (12) We must set the glory of the resurrection against the shame of the cross, and the grave. And the resurrection is equally proved by the witnesses who saw it, and by the testimonies of the Prophets.

13:31 and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.

13:32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,

13:33 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.'[51]

• (o) For then he appeared plainly and manifestly as the only Son of God, when he left behind his weakness and came out of the grave, having conquered death.
• (13) If Christ had remained dead, he would not have been the true Son of God, neither would the covenant which was made with David have been certain.

13:34 "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.'[52]

• (p) The Greeks call those things "holy things" which the Hebrews call "gracious bounties": and they are called David�s bounties in the passive voice, because God bestowed them upon David. Moreover, they are termed "sure", after the manner of speech which the Hebrews use, who terms those things "sure" which are steady and certain, and such things which never alter or change.

13:35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, 'You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.'[53]

• (14) The Lord was in the grace in such a way that he experienced no corruption.

13:36 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.

13:37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay.

13:38 Be it known to you therefore, [54] brothers [See Acts Footnotes 54], that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,

• (15) Christ was sent to give them free remission of sins who were condemned by the Law.

13:39 and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

• (q) Whereas the ceremonies of the Law could not absolve you from your sins, this man absolves you, if you lay hold of him by faith.

13:40 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:

• (16) The benefits of God turn to the utter undoing of those that condemn them.

13:41 'Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, 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.'"[55]

13:42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

• (17) The Gentiles go before the Jews into the kingdom of heaven.

13:43 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.

• (r) Who had forsaken their heathen religion, and embraced the religion set forth by Moses.

13:44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.

13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.

• (18) The favour on the very same Gospel is to the reprobate and unbelievers death, and to the elect and those who believe it is life.

13:46 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 you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

• (19) The Gospel is proclaimed to the Gentiles by the express commandment of God.
• (s) By this your doing you pronounce as it were sentence upon yourselves, and judge yourselves.

13:47 For so has the Lord 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.'"[56]

13:48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

• (t) Therefore either all were not appointed to everlasting life, or either all believed, but because all did not believe, it follows that certain ones were ordained: and therefore God did not only foreknow, but also foreordained, that neither faith nor the effects of faith should be the cause of his ordaining, or appointment, but his ordaining the cause of faith.

13:49 The Lord's word was spread abroad throughout all the region.

13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.

• (20) Such is the craft and subtlety of the enemies of the Gospel, that they abuse the simplicity of some who are not altogether evil men, in order to execute their cruelty.
• (u) Those who embraced the Law of Moses.

13:51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

• (21) The wickedness of the world cannot prevent God from gathering his Church together, and to foster and cherish it, when it is gathered together.

13:52 The disciples were filled with joy with the Holy Spirit.