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13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
13:4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
13:6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
13:7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
13:9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.
13:10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
13:11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
13:12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
13:13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
13:15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
13:16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
13:17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
13:18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
13:19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
13:20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
13:21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
13:23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
13:24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
13:25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
13:26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
13:27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
13:28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
13:30 But God raised him from the dead:
13:31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
13:32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
13:33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
13:34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
13:35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
13:37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
13:40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
13:41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
13:49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
13:51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

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Everything King James Bible:Acts

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Acts
Book: Acts
Chapter: 13

Overview:
The mission of Paul and Barnabas. (1-3) Elymas the Sorcerer.
(4-13) Paul's discourse at Antioch. (14-41) He preaches to the
Gentiles, and is persecuted By the Jews. (42-52)

1-3 What an assemblage was here! In these names we see that the
Lord raises up instruments for his work, from various places and
stations in Life; and zeal for his Glory induces men to give up
flattering connections and prospects to promote his cause. It is
By the Spirit of Christ that his ministers are made both able
and willing for his service, and taken from other cares that
would hinder in it. Christ's ministers are to be employed in
Christ's work, and, under the Spirit's guidance, to act for the
Glory of God the Father. They are separated to take pains, and
not to take state. A blessing upon Barnabas and Saul in their
present undertaking was sought for, and that they might be
filled with the Holy Ghost in their work. Whatever means are
used, or rules observed, the Holy Ghost alone can fit ministers
for their important work, and Call them to it.

4-13 Satan is in a special manner busy with great men and men
in power, to keep them from being religious, for their Example
will influence many. Saul is here for the first time called
Paul, and never after Saul. Saul was his name as he was a
Hebrew; Paul was his name as he was a citizen of Rome. Under the
direct influence of the Holy Ghost, he gave Elymas his true
character, but not in Passion. A Fulness of deceit and mischief
together, make a Man indeed a Child of the Devil. And those who
are enemies to the doctrine of Jesus, are enemies to all
Righteousness; for in it all Righteousness is fulfilled. The
ways of the Lord Jesus are the only right ways to Heaven and
happiness. There are many who not only wander from these ways
themselves, but set others against these ways. They commonly are
So hardened, that they will not cease to do evil. The proconsul
was astonished at the force of the doctrine upon his own Heart
and Conscience, and at the power of God By which it was
confirmed. The doctrine of Christ astonishes; and the more we
know of it, the more reason we shall see to wonder at it. Those
who Put their Hand to the Plough and look back, are not fit for
the Kingdom of God. Those who are not prepared to Face
opposition, and to endure hardship, are not fitted for the work
of the ministry.

14-31 When we come together to Worship God, we must do it, not
only By Prayer and praise, but By the reading and hearing of the
Word of God. The bare reading of the Scriptures in public
assemblies is not enough; they should be expounded, and the
people exhorted out of them. This is helping people in doing
that which is necessary to make the Word profitable, to apply it
to themselves. Every thing is touched upon in this sermon, which
might best prevail with Jews to receive and embrace Christ as
the promised Messiah. And every view, however short or faint, of
the Lord's dealings with his Church, reminds us of his Mercy and
long-suffering, and of Man's ingratitude and perverseness. Paul
passes from David to the Son of David, and shows that this Jesus
is his promised Seed; a Saviour to do that for them, which the
Judges of old could not do, to save them from their sins, their
worst enemies. When the apostles preached Christ as the Saviour,
they were So far from concealing his Death, that they always
preached Christ crucified. Our complete separation from Sin, is
represented By our being buried with Christ. But he Rose again
from the dead, and saw No corruption: this was the great Truth
to be preached.

32-37 The Resurrection of Christ was the great proof of his
being the Son of God. It was not possible he should be held By
Death, because he was the Son of God, and therefore had Life in
himself, which he could not lay down but with a design to take
it again. The sure mercies of David are that Everlasting Life,
of which the resurrection was a sure Pledge; and the blessings
of Redemption in Christ are a certain Earnest, even in this
world. David was a great blessing to the Age wherein he lived.
We were not born for ourselves, but there are those living
around us, to whom we must study to be serviceable. Yet here is
the difference; Christ was to serve all generations. May we look
to Him who is declared to be the Son of God By his resurrection
from the dead, that By Faith in him we may walk with God, and
serve our Generation according to his will; and when Death
comes, may we fall asleep in him, with a joyful Hope of a
blessed resurrection.

38-41 Let all that hear the Gospel of Christ, know these two
things: 1. That through this Man, who died and Rose again, is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. Your sins, though
many and great, may be forgiven, and they may be So without any
injury to God's honour. 2. It is By Christ only that those who
believe in him, and none else, are justified from all things;
from all the guilt and stain of Sin, from which they could not
be justified By the Law of Moses. The great concern of convinced
sinners is, to be justified, to be acquitted from all their
guilt, and accepted as righteous in God's sight, for if any is
left charged upon the sinner, he is undone. By Jesus Christ we
obtain a complete Justification; for By him a complete Atonement
was made for Sin. We are justified, not only By him as our Judge
but By him as the Lord our Righteousness. What the Law could not
do for us, in that it was weak, the Gospel of Christ does. This
is the most needful blessing, bringing in every other. The
threatenings are warnings; what we are told will come upon
impenitent sinners, is designed to awaken us to beware lest it
come upon us. It ruins many, that they despise religion. Those
that will not wonder and be saved, shall wonder and perish.

42-52 The Jews opposed the doctrine the apostles preached; and
when they could find No objection, they blasphemed Christ and
his Gospel. Commonly those who begin with contradicting, End
with blaspheming. But when adversaries of Christ's cause are
daring, its advocates should be the bolder. And while many Judge
themselves unworthy of eternal Life, others, who appear less
likely, desire to hear more of the glad tidings of Salvation.
This is according to what was foretold in the Old Testament.
What Light, what power, what a treasure does this Gospel bring
with it! How excellent are its truths, its precepts, its
promises! Those came to Christ whom the Father drew, and to whom
the Spirit made the Gospel Call effectual, Ro 8:30. As many as
were disposed to eternal Life, as many as had concern about
their eternal state, and aimed to make sure of eternal Life,
believed in Christ, in whom God has treasured up that Life, and
who is the only Way to it; and it was the Grace of God that
wrought it in them. It is good to see honourable women devout;
the less they have to do in the world, the more they should do
for their own souls, and the souls of others: but it is sad,
when, under Colour of devotion to God, they try to show Hatred
to Christ. And the more we relish the comforts and
encouragements we meet with in the power of Godliness, and the
Fuller our hearts are of them, the better prepared we are to
Face difficulties in the profession of Godliness.

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