Acts 13–14

Everything that has happened in the Book of Acts up to this point has been preparation for what begins in Acts 13. The church at Antioch — that glorious integrated fellowship of Jews and Gentiles — now becomes the launching pad for the first intentional missionary journey. The Holy Ghost speaks. Barnabas and Saul are set apart. The Gospel goes to the nations. Read both chapters fully before working through this lesson.

Verses 1–3: Sent by the Holy Ghost

The church at Antioch had a remarkable leadership team — prophets and teachers from diverse backgrounds including Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshipping and fasting, the Holy Ghost gave specific direction. This was not a committee decision or a strategy session. The Spirit spoke.

Verses 4–12: Cyprus — The Sorcerer Confronted

Sent out by the Holy Ghost, Barnabas and Saul sailed to Cyprus and preached in the synagogues. At Paphos they encountered Elymas the sorcerer, a false prophet who was attached to Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul. Elymas tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Saul — now called Paul — filled with the Holy Ghost, looked directly at him and pronounced blindness upon him. Immediately a mist and darkness fell on Elymas. When the proconsul saw what happened he believed, astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Verses 13–41: Antioch of Pisidia — Paul Preaches in the Synagogue

At Antioch of Pisidia Paul stood up and preached one of the most comprehensive sermons recorded in Acts. He traced the history of Israel from Egypt through the wilderness, the judges, the kings, and David — and then declared that from the seed of David God had raised up Jesus as Saviour. He preached the death, burial, and resurrection and declared forgiveness of sins through this man.

Verses 42–52: Rejection and Rejoicing

The Gentiles begged to hear more the following Sabbath. Almost the whole city gathered. But the Jewish leaders were filled with envy and began contradicting Paul. Paul and Barnabas boldly declared that since the Jews were rejecting the Word, they were turning to the Gentiles — fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that God’s servant would be a light to the Gentiles to the ends of the earth. The Gentiles rejoiced and glorified the Word of God. But the Jews stirred up persecution and expelled Paul and Barnabas from the region.

Verses 1–7: Iconium — Divided City

At Iconium Paul and Barnabas entered the synagogue and spoke so effectively that a great number of both Jews and Gentiles believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles against them. Paul and Barnabas remained a long time speaking boldly in the Lord, who confirmed their message with miraculous signs and wonders. When a plot to stone them was discovered they fled to Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region, where they continued to preach the Gospel.

Verses 8–20: Lystra — Worshipped Then Stoned

At Lystra Paul healed a man who had been crippled from birth — never having walked a single step in his life. When the crowds saw what Paul had done they shouted that the gods had come down in human form. They called Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes. The priest of Zeus brought oxen and garlands to offer sacrifices to them.

Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes in horror. They rushed into the crowd shouting that they were only human beings bringing the good news about the living God who made heaven and earth and sea. Even with these words they barely restrained the crowd from sacrificing to them.

Then Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city thinking he was dead. But when the disciples gathered around him he rose up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

Verses 21–28: Strengthening the Churches

After preaching in Derbe and winning many disciples, Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps through Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia — the very places where they had been persecuted — strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.

They appointed elders in each church, prayed and fasted, and committed them to the Lord. They then sailed back to Antioch — where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed — and reported all that God had done and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.