1: Now there were in the church that was in Antioch (see 11:19) prophets and teachers (Gr. didaskalos); as Barnabas (= son of Father), and Simeon (= heard) that was called Niger (= black), and Lucius (= illumination) of Cyrene, and Manaen (= comforter), foster-brother of Herod Antipas the tetrarch (see Matt.14:1. Luke 3:19; 9:7), and Saul.
2: As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate me (cp. Rom 1:1. Gal.1:15) Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3: And having fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. (Ordination to that destiny)
D E 13:4-. Departure from Antioch.
F 13:-4-12. Cyprus.
G 13:13. Perga.
H 13:14-50. Antioch (Pisidia).
I 13:51–14:6-. Iconium.
J 14:-6-20-. Lystra.
K 14:-20. Derbe.
J 14:21-. Lystra.
I 14:-21-. Iconium.
H 14:-21-24. Antioch.
G 14:25-. Perga.
F 14:-25. Atallia.
E 14:26-28. Return to Antioch.4: So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia (see 11:19);
and from that place they sailed to Cyprus.
5: And when they were at Salamis (= salt. The first port they would reach, at east end of the island), they preached the Word of God (God the Creator) in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had John Mark also to their minister (Gr. hupęretęs, means an under-rower, and is used, generally, for one in a subordinate capacity. He was not included by the Holy Spirit's command, but doubtless came as his kinsman [Col.4:10] Barnabas; invitation).
6: And when they had gone through the isle as far as Paphos (= boiling, or hot. The capital and residence of the governor), they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet (Gr. pseudoprophętęs. Used 5 times by Yahshua), a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus (= son of savior [which savior!? the false one, i.e. Satan. He was a Kenite of Judea):
7: Which was with the deputy of the country (Gr. anthupatos. This is the Greek word for proconsul. Cyprus had been an imperial province, governed by a proprietor, but according to Strabo Augustus transferred it to the Senate, and the governor would be now a proconsul. The title "proconsul" has been found on a coin of Cyprus of A.D. 52, and a slab has been discovered at Soli in Cyprus, with the name Paulus proconsul. One of the proofs of Luke's accuracy), Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; he called for Barnabas and Saul, and sought earnestly to hear the word of God.
8: But Elymas the sorcerer (this is the same Bar-jesus of v.6. Elymas = the knowing one. Cp. Ulema, the corporation of Moslem who interpret the Koran. Arabic alim, wise. Does this remind you of the "wise" serpent in the garden!? Use discernment when it comes to names. Test the fruit) {for so is his name by interpretation} withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. (He objected to Paul and Barnabus coming there. Why?)
9: Then Saul, {who is called Paul also (= small, little. As a Roman citizen he would have a Roman name, as well as an Israelite one too. Also so called from this time, except when he refers to his conversion, 22:7,13; 26:14),} filled with the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him (= gazing intently, stared the man down. This was not Paul doing this which is inconsistent with weak sight. This was the Holy Spirit working through Paul. The Holy Spirit can be very stern.),
10: And said, “O full of all (notice the 3 "alls") guile and all wickedness, you son of the devil (see Matt. 13:35; 23:15. John 8:44; 17:12. 1 John 3:10, an cp."sons of Belial", so frequently used in the O.T), you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the straight ways of the Lord? (Sweet and gentle right!? NO!!! This was a scathing message)
11: And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun until a season.” And immediately there fell on him a mist (Gr. achlus, a medical word for incipient blindness) and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. (We have power over our enemies [i.e. the power of the Holy Spirit, not of our own]. Don't be afraid to use it when you need to. See Luke 10:19)
12: Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. (Boldness drew him to Yehovah. Are you bold for Yehovah?)
13: Now when Paul and his company (Lit., those about Paul. A Greek idiom) weighed anchor from Paphos, they came to Perga of Pamphylia (= earthly. The capital of Pamphylia = of every tribe. A few miles up the Cestrus, which flows into the bay of Attalia. Now a ruin. John Mark's departure may have been due to some difference as to the change of plan, and the preceding from the lowlands of Pamphylia to the high ground of Antioch may have been on account of Paul's illness, to which he refers to in Ga.4:13): and John Mark having withdrawn from them returned to Jerusalem. (Mark and Barnabus split up. More coverage of the Word can be accomplished that way. See v.2)
H L 14,15. Synagogue. First Sabbath.
M 16-41. Paul. Address.
N 42,43. Effect.
L 44,45. Synagogue. Second Sabbath.
M 46,47. Paul and Barnabus. Appeal.
N 48-50. Effect.
14: But having gone through Perga, they came to Antioch of Pisidia (the capital of Pisidia, and a Roman colony), and went into the synagogue on the day of the sabbaths (see John 20:1. This was after Passover 46 or 47 A.D.), and sat down (he [Paul] didn't take it over).
15: And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers (these rulers were probably the ruler and the angel) of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “All you men and brethren, if there is among you any word of exhortation for the people, speak.” (Where did man put his word first instead of God's?)
M x 16-22. Israel's History. David raised up.
y 23. Promise fulfilled.
z 24,25. Repentance preached.
x 26-31. The Lord's Death and Resurrection.
y 32-37. Promise fulfilled.
z 38-41. Forgiveness proclaimed.
16: Then Paul having risen up (from this time Paul takes precedence of Barnabas. There will be some real Bible teaching going on here. Compare Chapter 7 and Stephen speech there), and beckoned with his hand said, “Men, Israelites, and all you that love God (cp. v.26; 10:2,22,35. Luke 1:50; 12:5; 23:40. Rev.11:18; 14:7; 15:4; 19:5. Ps.61:5, &c.), give audience. (At this time, the message to Israel)
17: The God (see v.5) of this People of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought He them out of it.
18: And as it were the time of forty years suffered He their manners (Gr. tropophoreő, but many MSS. read trophophoreő, "bore them as a nurse". Cp. Deut.1:31. It is the change of the one letter in Greek) in the wilderness.
19: And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan (cp. Deut.7:1), He gave their land to them by lot (Gr. kataklęrodoteő. Only her. Cp. Sept., Ps.77:55. But text reads kataklęronomeő, distributed by lot. Freq. in Sept.; e.g. Num.33:54).
20: And after these He gave to them rulers about four hundred and fifty years (one was even a woman, Deborah [queen bee]), until Samuel the prophet (i.e. the end of Samuel's ministry. See 3:24).
21: And afterward they asked for a king: and Elohim gave to them Saul the son out of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin (Saul-Paul here speaking was also a Benjamite. See Rom.11:1), the space of forty years.
22: And when He had set him aside, He raised up to them David for king; to whom also He having testified (the quotation is from Ps.89:20), said, “I found David the son of Jesse, a man according to My own heart, which will do all My wishes.’ (So you would know who the Messiah is. Planed prophecy)
23: From this one's seed has God according to His promise (see 2 Sam.7:12-16. Ps.132:11) raised (text reads "led" or "brought") to Israel a Savior, Jesus: (cp. Rev.21:24)
24: John having proclaimed before His coming (Lit. the face of His entering, i.e. upon public life) the baptism of repentance to all the People of Israel.
25: And as John fulfilled his course (= was running his race. Cp. 20:24), he said, ‘Who do yo all suppose that I am? I am not He. But, behold, there comes One after me, Whose shoes of His feet I am not worthy to loose.’ (This was prophetic)
26: Men and brethren, children of the race of Abraham, and those among you who revere God (= ANYONE who loves God), to you was the word of this salvation sent.
27: For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers (see Matt. 23), because they knew him not (= being ignorant of. this refers to v.26), and the voices of the prophets which are read throughout every sabbath, they have fulfilled them having judged Him. (See Ps. 22)
28: And having found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain. (Fulfilling Gospel)
29: And when they had ended all things that were written concerning Him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him into a sepulchre.
30: But God raised Him from the dead:
31: And He was seen for many days (= 40 days) by them which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem (all the Apostles, except Judas, were Galileans. Cp.1:11; 2:7. Luke 23:49,55), who are now His witnesses to the People. (see 1:8)
32: And we tell you good news (= Gospel), how that the promise which was made to the fathers,
33: God has fulfilled the same to us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus again (= having raised up); as it has been written in the second Psalm also (see Ps.2:7), “You are My Son, this day have I begotten You.” (= brought You to the Birth, i.e. in resurrection) (Gospel covers second witness)
34: But that He raised Him up from the dead, now being no longer about to return to corruption (Gr. diaphthora. See 2:27. Here corruption means the place of corruption, i.e. the grave, for He did not see corruption and therefore could not return to it), He said on thus (quoted from Isa.55:3), ‘I will give you the assured holy things of David.’ (See 2:27. Same as "holy" in v.35. The sure mercies are the promises faithfully kept by the Almighty)
35: Wherefore He says in another Psalm also (the reference is to Ps.16:10. Cp. 2:27), “You will not give Your Holy One to see corruption.” (The old becomes part of the new)
36: For David indeed, having served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw corruption: (his flesh body went back to dirt)
37: But He, Whom God raised (He was transfigured), saw not corruption (He crushed it).
38: Be it known to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the remission of sins: (This took away all the blood ordinances because He fulfilled them)
39: And in This One everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you all were not able to be justified by the law of Moses. (See 3:22. Nothing wrong with the Law. It is us that is the problem. When you play you pay. The Law is your set of records to keep you out of trouble)
40: See therefore, lest that come, which is spoken of in the prophets; (i.e. of Babylon in the end times)
41: “Behold (the quotation is from Hab.1:5. Babylonian captivity of end time), all you despisers, and wonder, and vanish away (i.e. erased from the book of life. But even to this day you have free will. It's your choice whether you want to be in the book of life or not): for I work a work in your days, a work which you all shall in no wise believe, even if one declare it to you.’ ”
42: And when the Jews (the text omits) were going forth out of the synagogue, the Gentiles (the text reads "they") were beseeching that these words might be spoken to them on the intervening sabbath (one of the weekly gatherings). (They want more)
43: Now when synagogue was released, many of the Jews (= of the tribe of Judah) and worshiping proselytes (see Matt.23:4) followed Paul and Barnabas: who, addressing them, were urging them to continue in the grace of Elohim.
44: And the following sabbath (not the same expression as in v.42) the whole city were gathered together to hear the word of God. (this is what is supposed to be taught in the house of God. NOT man's word!)
45: But when the Jews saw the crowds (these are the Kenites [=sons of Cain], i.e. those who claim to be of our brother Judah but are not.), they were filled with envy, and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46: Then Paul and Barnabas speaking boldly said, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but since you all thrust it away, and judge yourselves not worthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles (= nations, Gr. ethnos, where we get our word "ethnic" from). (This was Paul's mission)
47: For so has The Lord commanded us, saying (quoted from Isa. 49:6. Read Isa.49:5-8. This commission to the Lord's Servant is cited as their Authority for turning to the Gentile), ‘I have set You to be a light of the nations, to be for salvation as far as the ends of the earth.’ ”
48: And when the nations heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained (= appointed. Destiny involved here.) to eternal life believed.
49: And the word of the Lord was published (Lit. to carry through) throughout all the region.
50: But the Jews (= Kenites, see v.43) instigated the devout and honorable women, and the first of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their borders.
I a 13:51-14:1-.Preaching.
b 14:-1. Result.
c 14:2. Opposition.
a 14:3. Preaching.
b 14:4. Result.
c 14:5,6-. Opposition.
51: But they shook off the dust of their feet against them (no doubt of their or God's opinion of them), and came to Iconium (= little image. Now Konieh, the present [1915] terminus of the Bagdad railway. About 300 miles from Smyrna).
52: And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.