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1 Now there was in Antioch there among the Moshiachʼs Kehillah nevi'im and morim: Bar-Nabba, and Shim'on called Niger, and Lucius from Cyrene, and Menachem (brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and [Rav] Sha'ul. 2 They were ministering to Adonoi and under a tzom when the Ruach Hakodesh said to them, Set apart for Me Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul for the avodas kodesh ministry to which I have called them.* 3 Then, having continued the tzom and having davened and having laid their hands upon them, they sent them off.
4 They, then, having been sent out by the Ruach Hakodesh, went down to Seleucia, and from there sailed away to Cyprus. 5 Having arrived in Salamis, they were proclaiming the dvar Hashem in the shuls, with Yochanan Markos also as ozer (helper). 6 Having passed through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain ish, a magician, a Jewish navi sheker, by name of Bar-Yehoshua, 7 who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an ish of seichel. This one, having summoned Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul, sought to hear the dvar Hashem. 8 But Elymas the magician was opposing them — for thus is his name translated — and was seeking to be mashpia on the proconsul (seeking to sway him to think undesirably) about the emunah (faith).† 9 But Rav Sha'ul, the one also called Paulos, having been filled with the Ruach Hakodesh, gazed at him, 10 and said, O ish full of all mirmah (deceit, fraud) and all resha, ben haSatan, oyev (enemy) of all Tzedek, will you not cease making crooked the straight paths of Hashem?‡ 11 Now — hinei — the yad Hashem is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the shemesh (sun) for awhile. Immediately mistiness and choshech (darkness) fell on him, and, going about, he was seeking someone to lead him by the hand.§ 12 Then, the proconsul, having seen what had happened, had emunah, being nispoyel (standing in awe) at the torah about Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu.
13 And having put out to sea from Paphos, Rav Sha'ul and those with him came to Perga of Pamphylia. But Yochanan (Markos), having left them, returned to Yerushalayim. 14 But having gone on from Perga, they came to Pisidian Antioch, and, having entered the shul on Shabbos, they sat down. 15 After the kri'at HaTorah (reading of the Sefer Torah) and the kri'at HaNevi'im, the Rashei Beit HaKnesset sent to them, saying Anashim Achim, if there is any dvar hachizzuk among you to the people, say it. 16 And having got up and having motioned with his hand, Rav Sha'ul said, Anshei Yisroel, and Yirei Elohim, listen! 17 Elohei HaAm Yisroel chose Avoteinu. Hashem made the people great during their sojourn in Eretz Mitzrayim, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of it,* 18 and lav davka (approximately) ARBA'IM SHANAH He put up with them in the desert.† 19 And having destroyed SHIVAH GOYIM in eretz Kena'an, he gave as a nachalah (an inheritance) their land‡ 20 during lav davka (approximately) arba me'ot vachamashim shanah. After these things, He gave shofetim until Shmuel HaNavi.§ 21 And then they asked for a melech, and Hashem gave to them Sha'ul Ben Kish, an ish from the shevet of Binyamin, for arba'im shanah.* 22 And after having removed Sha'ul, Hashem raised up Dovid as a Melech for them. About Dovid also Hashem testified, saying, I found Dovid Ben Yishai an ISH KILEVAVI† who will do all My ratzon.‡ 23 From the zera (seed) of this man, according to the havtachah (promise), Hashem has brought to Yisroel a Moshi'a (Savior), Yehoshua.§ 24 Now previously, before the coming of Moshiach, Yochanan proclaimed to Klal Yisroel a tevilah of teshuva. 25 Now as Yochanan was completing his course, he was saying, What do you suppose me to be? I am not! But, hinei, he comes after me of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandal of his feet.*
26 Achim, Bnei Mishpochah Avraham, and Yirei Elohim, it is to us that the dvar of this Yeshu'ah HaGedolah (Great Deliverance) was sent out.† 27 For the ones dwelling in Yerushalayim and their moshlim (rulers) did not have da'as of this one or of the devarim of the Nevi'im being read every Shabbos; they fulfilled these devarim by condemning him. 28 Even without finding a cause for a mishpat mavet, they asked Pilate that he be done away with. 29 When they finished all the things having been written about him, he was taken down from HaEtz,‡ and they put him into a kever§(tomb). 30 But Hashem made him to stand up alive again from the Mesim, 31 and he was seen over many yamim by the ones having come up with him from the Galil to Yerushalayim who now are his edim to the people. 32 And we are preaching to you the Besuras HaGeulah of the Havtachah made to Avoteinu,* 33 That Hashem has fulfilled this havtachah for us, their banim, having made to stand up alive again Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, as also in the Tehillim it has been written, BENI ATAH, ANI HAYOM YELIDETICHA (You are My son; today I have become your father).† 34 And that He made him to stand up alive again from the Mesim, no longer to return to decay, thus he has said, I will give you CHASEDEI DOVID HANE'EMANIM.‡ 35 Therefore, also elsewhere in the Tehillim, he says LO TITEN CHASIDECHA LIR'OT SHACHAT (You will not allow your Chasid [Moshiach] to undergo decay).§ 36 For Dovid, after in his own dor (generation) he had served birtzon Hashem, fell asleep, and VAYISHKAV DOVID IM AVOTAV (and Dovid rested with his fathers) and he experienced decay.* 37 But whom Hashem made to stand up alive again did not experience decay. 38 Let it be known, therefore, to you, Anashim Achim, that through this one, selicha (forgiveness) of chatta'im (averos [sins]) is proclaimed to you; and from all things of which by the Torah of Moshe Rabbenu you were not able to be justified, 39 By this one everyone having emunah is justified. 40 Be shomer then that the thing having been spoken by the Nevi'im (Prophets) may not come upon you, 41 Look, scoffers, And be amazed and marvel, and stand in awe and perish, because I am working a work in your yamim, a work which you may by no means believe if someone should tell you.†
42 And as Rav Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba were going out, the people were begging that these devarim be spoken to them the following Shabbos. 43 And when the gathering was dismissed, rabbim (many) of the Yehudim and of the Gerim (Proselytes) with chassidus followed Rav Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba, who urged them to remain in the Chen v'Chesed Hashem.
44 Now on the following Shabbos nearly all the city was assembled to hear the dvar Hashem. 45 But when the Yehudim saw the multitudes, they were filled with kinah and were choilek (taking issue) and speaking keneged (against, in opposition to) the things being spoken by Rav Sha'ul, and they were committing Chillul Hashem. 46 And having spoken with ometz lev (boldness), Rav Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba said, To you it was necessary rishonah (first) for the dvar Hashem to be spoken; vi-bahlt (since) you reject it, and judge yourselves not worthy of Chayyei Olam, hinei, we are turning to the Goyim. 47 For thus has Hashem commanded us, I have placed you as a light to the Nations, that you should bring salvation to the end of the earth.‡
48 Now hearing this, the Goyim rejoiced with simcha gedolah and were praising the dvar Hashem. And as many as had been destined to Chayyei Olam became ma'aminim hameshichiyim. 49 And the dvar Hashem was spreading through the entire region. 50 But the Yehudim aroused the chashuve (prominent) G-d fearing nashim and the gontser machers of the city, and they instigated redifah keneged Rav Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba, and they drove them from out of their territory. 51 And having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, Rav Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba came to Iconium; 52 And the talmidim were being filled with simcha and the Ruach Hakodesh.
* 13:2 2Chr 13:10; 35:3; Ezek 40:46; 44:16; 45:4 † 13:8 Isa 30:11 ‡ 13:10 Hos 14:9 § 13:11 Ex 9:3; 1Sm 5:6,7; Ps 32:4; Gn 19:10,11; 2Kgs 6:18 * 13:17 Ex 6:1,6,7; 14:8; Dt 7:6-8 † 13:18 Dt 1:31; Num 14:33,34; Ps 95:10; Ex 16:35 ‡ 13:19 Dt 7:1; Josh 14:2; 19:51; Ps 78:55 § 13:20 Judg 2:16; 1Sm 3:19,20 * 13:21 1Sm 8:5,19; 10:1; 9:1,2 † 13:22 a man after His (G-dʼs) heart ‡ 13:22 1Sm 15:23; 16:13; Ps 89:20; 1Sm 13:14; Jer 3:15; Isa 44:28 § 13:23 2Sm 7:11; 22:51; Jer 30:9 * 13:25 The first Shlichus Journey (46-48 C.E.) was followed by the second (49-52 C.E.) and then by the third (53-57 C.E.) with the trip to appear before Nero (59-60 C.E.) but everything begins here in chapter 13. This material is of great importance in the Bible. Here we see the world kiruv outreach of Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach in action. Notice the beginning of Chapter 13. The whole world is affected, is even turned upside down, by what happens in one little Messianic kehillah in Antioch, where believers are engaged in worship, and waiting on G-d in prayer and fasting. This kehillah has various ministries, including nevi'im and morim. See Ro 12:6-8; Ep 4:11; 1C 12:28-29. Notice that ministers are set apart for avodas kodesh service, and what they do is not their own choice but the choice of the Ruach Hakodesh. Just as the Levi'im were consecrated and set apart for their holy service in the Beis Hamikdash, so believers are called to preach the Besuras Hageulah to the ends of the earth. Hashem by His Ruach Hakodesh calls them, equips them, trains them, raises them up, and sends them, empowering them and leading them every step of the way. Notice that these men have a recognized call by a body of believers who lay hands on them, who recognize their gifting and calling and lay on hands to consecrate them for the L-rdʼs work. These two men do not embark as religious freelancers. A body of believers stands behind them to pray for them and the two ministers are accountable to this sending body for their doctrine and service. Notice that the Ruach Hakodesh is directing this world kiruv outreach, it is His Work, and He is empowering all the dynamics of it. Rav Sha'ul will make three of these journeys and he will complete his course, just like Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva. Like Yochanan he will pay the ultimate price, dying al kiddush ha-Shem for his edus to the truth of the Besuras HaGeulah as a Messianic martyr for the faith. But everything that is accomplished is by the power of the Ruach Hakodesh. Notice as Rav Sha'ul goes to the whole world and to every creature, he always goes to the Jewish people first. See Ac 13:14; 14:1; 17:1,10; 18:4, 19; 19:8. Why? Is this merely an expediency or a pragmatic decision? As anyone should be able to see by reading this translation, The Orthodox Jewish Bible, salvation is from the Jewish people, from Jewish prophets and writings, from Jewish servants of the G-d of Israel. Salvation is not a Gentile commodity available from a Gentile religion, and primarily directed toward non-Jews. Salvation is of the Jewish faith and therefore it would be both intrinsically misleading and also cruelly anti-Semitic to avoid or by-pass the Jewish people in preaching the saving Jewish message of Besuras HaGeulah (Good News of Redemption) that offers to all men the Yeshu'at Eloheinu (Salvation of our G-d). In this thirteenth chapter of the Gevurot MeyRuach HaKodesh (Acts of the Holy Spirit) we see that an important theme is spiritual blindness. Those who do not have the Ruach Hakodesh and blindly hinder and even oppose the work of the Ruach Hakodesh will not succeed. The Roman proconsul of Cyprus is an important contact and, if he could be won over to the Messianic faith, doors would open to the entire island. Hasatanʼs worker, Elymas, is positioned demonically to keep exactly that from happening. What follows is a power encounter between the Ruach Hakodesh and the occult powers of a sorcerer. There are those who would pervert the right ways of Hashem, who twist and try to garble the holy words of the Scripture. There may be some who will oppose this Bible translation and will try to mock it, vilify it, demean it, oppose it, attack it and try to keep it from readers, even physically attack it and burn it. But like this Elymas they will not succeed. No weapon formed against us will prosper. And G-d will watch over his Word and protect it. It is my prayer that just as Rav Sha'ul was blinded by the Moshiach and was taught about his own spiritual blindness by a judgment miracle, wherein he was temporarily blinded as a warning, and just as Elymas was also blinded by Hashem for a time so that he would also have an opportunity to repent and come to the truth and turn away from HaSatan who had taken him captive to do his will — so it is my prayer that anyone, Jewish or non-Jewish, who attempts to attack this translation and keep it from being read by Jewish people or anyone else, will come to their senses and see what blindness they are laboring under, and that Hashem will open their eyes to the light of the salvation that we have in Moshiach Adoneinu. Omein. † 13:26 Ps 107:20 ‡ 13:29 Dt 21:23 § 13:29 Isa 53:9 * 13:32 Isa 40:9; 52:7 † 13:33 Ps 2:7 ‡ 13:34 Isa 55:3 TARGUM HASHIVIM § 13:35 Ps 16:10 TARGUM HASHIVIM * 13:36 2Sm 7:12; 1Kgs 2:10; Judg 2:10; 2Chr 29:28 † 13:41 Hab 1:5 TARGUM HASHIVIM ‡ 13:47 Isa 49:6