131 And there were certain in Antioch, in the assembly there, prophets and teachers; both Barnabas, and Simeon who is called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen also—Herod the tetrarch's foster-brother—and Saul; 2 and in their ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Separate ye to me both Barnabas and Saul to the work to which I have called them,' 3 then having fasted, and having prayed, and having laid the hands on them, they sent 'them' away.
4 These, indeed, then, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, thence also they sailed to Cyprus, 5 and having come unto Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they had also John 'as' a ministrant; 6 and having gone through the island unto Paphos, they found a certain magian, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name 'is' Bar-Jesus; 7 who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man; this one having called for Barnabas and Saul, did desire to hear the word of God, 8 and there withstood them Elymas the magian—for so is his name interpreted—seeking to pervert the proconsul from the faith. 9 And Saul—who also 'is' Paul—having been filled with the Holy Spirit, and having looked stedfastly on him, 10 said, 'O full of all guile, and all profligacy, son of a devil, enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 and now, lo, a hand of the Lord 'is' upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season;' and presently there fell upon him a mist and darkness, and he, going about, was seeking some to lead 'him' by the hand; 12 then the proconsul having seen what hath come to pass, did believe, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
13 And those about Paul having set sail from Paphos, came to Perga of Pamphylia, and John having departed from them, did turn back to Jerusalem,
14 and they having gone through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia, and having gone into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, they sat down, 15 and after the reading of the law and of the prophets, the chief men of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, 'Men, brethren, if there be a word in you of exhortation unto the people—say on.' 16 And Paul having risen, and having beckoned with the hand, said, 'Men, Israelites, and those fearing God, hearken: 17 the God of this people Israel did choose our fathers, and the people He did exalt in their sojourning in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm did He bring them out of it; 18 and about a period of forty years He did suffer their manners in the wilderness, 19 and having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He did divide by lot to them their land. 20 'And after these things, about four hundred and fifty years, He gave judges—till Samuel the prophet; 21 and thereafter they asked for a king, and God did give to them Saul, son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years; 22 and having removed him, He did raise up to them David for king, to whom also having testified, he said, I found David, the 'son' of Jesse, a man according to My heart, who shall do all My will. 23 'Of this one's seed God, according to promise, did raise to Israel a Saviour—Jesus, 24 John having first preached, before his coming, a baptism of reformation to all the people of Israel; 25 and as John was fulfilling the course, he said, Whom me do ye suppose to be? I am not 'he', but, lo, he doth come after me, of whom I am not worthy to loose the sandal of 'his' feet.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 13:1-25
Commentary on Acts 13:1-3
(Read Acts 13:1-3)
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 connexions 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.
Commentary on Acts 13:4-13
(Read Acts 13:4-13)
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.
Commentary on Acts 13:14-31
(Read Acts 13:14-31)
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.