1 - Now Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen, who grew up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul were prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them." 3 So after more fasting and prayer, they laid their hands on them (praying, anointing) and sent them on their way. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. John Mark went with them as their assistant. (Whose mother’s house Peter had gone to after the angel led him out of jail). 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He also worked for Sergius Paulus, who was a thoughtful man and governor (proconsul) of the island. Sergius Paulus wanted to hear God's message, and he sent for Barnabas and Saul. 8 But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), was interfering and urging the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul were saying. 9 Then Saul, better known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and looking the sorcerer in the eye, 10 said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the LORD is upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season”. Suddenly a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul, when he saw all this believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. 13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to Antioch of Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word for the people, please speak.” 16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery. 18 He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. 19 He destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land to our people. (God gets grief for not stopping great evils, and he gets grief for stopping great humanity destroying evils during formative times. It was the practice of them to burn children alive to their moon god Baal Molech, while beating drums to drown out the screams.) 20 All this took about 450 years. “After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. 22 But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel! 24 But before Jesus came, John was telling everyone in Israel to turn back to God and be baptized. 25 As John was finishing his ministry he asked, ‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon—and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’ 26 Brothers—you sons of Abraham, and also you God-fearing Gentiles—this message of salvation has been sent to us! 27 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 They found no legal reason to execute him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway. 29 When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead! 31 And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel. 32 And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, 33 which God has fulfilled to us, their descendants, having raised up Jesus, as in the Psalm it has been written [deuteros - second psalm? or for the second time?] you are my son, this day I have begotten you. 34 And so God raised him from among the dead that he not see destruction (decomposing) ‘I will give to you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ 35 So also, He says in another Psalm, ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay’ [Ps.16:10]. 36 Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep and was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. 37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. 38 Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. 39 Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do. 40 Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about - 41 Listen you mockers, wonder and vanish away (from Earth’s scene until later, for “GOD blinded them” for his reasons/purpose as “God is savior of all” 1Tim.4:10) for I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’” 42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.
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Very Brief Outline of Acts:
Jesus returns to where he was with the Father before his advent/visit (his brief first one).
The Holy Spirit/Presence of God is poured out on the believers who were in Jerusalem on the late Spring holy day of Pentecost. Peter speaks, there are 3000 new believers that day.
The good news message spreads, Peter is invited and goes to a Roman’s house and all believe. The first record of non Hebrew believers (besides likely some on Pentecost).
Persecution breaks out.. jail. stoning. Pharisee Saul leads the persecution, but on his way to Damascus with papers for arrests, Jesus makes himself seen but is so bright Paul falls to the ground and is blinded. After two days he is healed and is a believer, and soon is called Paul. He wrote many (to most) of the New Testament letters, but spent a few years (it seems to me) exclusively listening to the Lord. He established many ‘churches’ in what’s called three missionary journeys, and met and worked with Mark and Luke, and quite a few others. (Luke wrote this Book of Acts.) His fourth journey is to Rome to trial as a prisoner. There’s a shipwreck on the way.. He wrote many of his letters while in prison and under ‘house’ arrest.
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