Acts 13 explained: The First Mission Journey Begins

Sent out from Antioch (vv. 1-3)

The church's leaders were a varied group, including Lucius from Cyrene in North Africa and Manaen, who grew up alongside Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. Placing hands on Barnabas and Saul showed that the church was blessing them and sending them for a specific task.

Showdown on Cyprus (vv. 4-12)

On Cyprus, Barnabas's home island, a court magician tried to keep the Roman governor from believing, and Paul (Saul's Roman name, used from here on) condemned him and declared he would be blind for a time. The story presents this temporary blindness as God's judgment, and it convinced the governor.

Into the synagogue (vv. 13-15)

John Mark turned back home, which later caused a sharp split between Paul and Barnabas. After the scripture readings in a synagogue, visiting teachers could be invited to speak.

Retelling Israel's story (vv. 16-25)

Paul speaks to Jews and to non-Jews who worshiped Israel's God, tracing God's care for Israel from Egypt to King David. He then names Jesus as the promised descendant of David, with John the Baptist as the one who prepared the way.

Death, resurrection, forgiveness (vv. 26-41)

Paul argues that a psalm about God's holy one never decaying cannot mean David, who died and decayed, so it points to Jesus being raised. He says that through Jesus people are forgiven and set right with God in a way the law of Moses could not achieve, then closes with a warning from the prophet Habakkuk.

Welcome and rejection (vv. 42-52)

When some local Jewish leaders turned against them, Paul and Barnabas, themselves Jews, said they would now take the message to non-Jews, quoting Isaiah's words about a light for the nations. Forced out of the city, they shook the dust off their feet, a public gesture of warning that they were leaving those who rejected them to their choice.

Key verse: Acts 13:47

Something to think about

When the same message stirs deep joy in some people and anger in others, what do you think makes the difference?