Daily Bread

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

²⁵ When Barnabas^(A) and Saul had finished their mission,^(B) they returned from^[a] Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.^(C) 13 ¹ Now in the church at Antioch^(D) there were prophets^(E) and teachers:^(F) Barnabas,^(G) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,^(H) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod^(I) the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,^(J) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work^(K) to which I have called them.”^{(L) 3} So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them^(M) and sent them off.^(N)

On Cyprus

⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,^(O) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.^{(P) 5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God^(Q) in the Jewish synagogues.^(R) John^(S) was with them as their helper.

⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer^(T) and false prophet^(U) named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul,^(V) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer^(W) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul^(X) from the faith.^{(Y) 9} Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(Z) looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil^(AA) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?^{(AB) 11} Now the hand of the Lord is against you.^(AC) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”^(AD)

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul^(AE) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.