MA’ASĔH 13

1 And in the assembly that was at Antioḵeia there were certain neḇi’im and teachers: both Barnaḇah and Shim’on who was called Niger, and Lukios of Kurĕnĕ, and Manaḥĕm who had been brought up with Hĕrodĕs the district ruler, and Sha’ul.

2 And as they were doing service to the Aḏon and fasted, the Ruaḥ ha’Qodesh said, “Separate unto Me Barnaḇah and Sha’ul for the work to which I have called them.”

3 Then having fasted and prayed, and having laid hands on them, they sent them away.

4 So they, having been sent out by the Ruaḥ ha’Qodesh, went down to Seleukeia, and from there they sailed to Kupros.

5 And having come into Salamis, they proclaimed the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in the congregations of the Yahuḏim. And they also had Yoḥanan as an attendant.

6 And having passed through all the island to Paphos, they found a certain magician, a false prophet, a Yahuḏi whose name was Bar-Yahoshua,

7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man, having called for Barnaḇah and Sha’ul, earnestly sought to hear the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

8 But Elumas the magician – for so his name is translated – withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the belief.

9 Then Sha’ul, filled with the Ruaḥ ha’Qodesh, looked intently at him,

10 and said, “O son of the devil, filled with all deceit and all recklessness, you enemy of all righteousness, shall you not cease corrupting the straight Ways of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄?

11 “And now, see, the hand of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And instantly a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

12 And having seen what took place, the proconsul believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Aḏon.

13 And having put out from Paphos, Sha’ul and those with him came to Pergĕ in Pamphulia. And Yoḥanan, having left them, returned to Yerushalayim.

14 But passing through from Pergĕ, they came to Antioḵeia in Pisidia, and went into the congregation on the Shabbath day and sat down.

15 And after the reading of the Torah and the Neḇi’im, the rulers of the congregation sent to them, saying, “Men, brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.”

16 And Sha’ul, standing up and motioning with his hand said, “Men, Yisra’ĕlites, and those revering Elohim, listen:

17 “The Elohim of this people Yisra’ĕl chose our fathers, and exalted the people in their sojourning in the land of Mitsrayim, and with a high arm He brought them out of it.

18 “Now for a time of about forty years He sustained them in the wilderness.

19 “And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Kena’an, He gave their land to them as an inheritance.

20 “And after that He gave judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Shemu’ĕl the naḇi.

21 “But then they asked for a sovereign, and Elohim gave them Sha’ul the son of Qish, a man of the tribe of Binyamin, for forty years.

22 “And having removed him, He raised up for them Dawiḏ as sovereign, to whom also He gave witness and said, ‘I have found Dawiḏ the son of Yishai, a man after My own heart, who shall do all My desires.’

23 “From this one’s seed, according to the promise, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 raised up for Yisra’ĕl a Saviour, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏,

24 after Yoḥanan had first proclaimed the immersion of repentance to all the people of Yisra’ĕl, before His coming.

25 “And as Yoḥanan was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not He. But see, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’

26 “Men, brothers, sons of the race of Aḇraham, and those among you revering Elohim, to you the Word of this deliverance has been sent,

27 for those dwelling in Yerushalayim, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Neḇi’im which are read every Shabbath, have filled them in having judged Him.

28 “And having found not one cause for death, they asked Pilatus that He should be put to death.

29 “And when they had accomplished all that was written concerning Him, taking Him down from the timber, they laid Him in a tomb.

30 “But 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 raised Him from the dead,

31 and He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galil to Yerushalayim, who are His witnesses to the people.

32 “And we bring you the Good News, the promise made to the fathers,

33 that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has filled this for us, their children, having raised up 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏, as it has also been written in the second Tehillah, ‘You are My Bĕn, today I have brought You forth.’

34 “And that He raised Him out of the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has said thus, ‘I shall give you the trustworthy kindnesses of Dawiḏ.’

35 “For this reason He also says in another Tehillah, ‘You shall not give Your Kind One to see corruption.’

36 “For Dawiḏ, indeed, having served his own generation by the counsel of Elohim, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption,

37 but He whom 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 raised up saw no corruption.

38 “Let it therefore be known to you, brothers, that through this One forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

39 and by Him everyone who believes is declared right from all of which you were not able to be declared right by the Torah of Mosheh.

40 “Watch then that what was said in the Neḇi’im does not come upon you:

41 “See, you despisers, marvel and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you would in no way believe if someone were to declare it to you.’ ”

42 And when the Yahuḏim went out of the congregation, the gentiles begged to have these words spoken to them the next Shabbath.

43 And when the congregation had broken up, many of the Yahuḏim and of the worshipping converts followed Sha’ul and Barnaḇah, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the favour of Elohim.

44 And on the next Shabbath almost all the city came together to hear the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

45 But when the Yahuḏim saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. And contradicting and speaking evil, they opposed what Sha’ul was saying.

46 But speaking boldly, Sha’ul and Barnaḇah said, “It was necessary that the Word of Elohim should be spoken to you first, but since you thrust it away, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting ḥai, see, we turn to the gentiles.

47 “For so the Aḏon has commanded us, ‘I have appointed you to be a light to the gentiles, that you should be for deliverance to the ends of the earth.’ ”

48 And when the gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. And as many as had been appointed to everlasting ḥai believed.

49 And the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was being spread throughout the entire country.

50 But the Yahuḏim stirred up the worshipping and noble women and the chief men of the city, and raised up persecution against Sha’ul and Barnaḇah, and threw them out of their borders.

51 And shaking off the dust from their feet against them, they came to Ikonion.

52 And the talmidim were filled with joy and the Ruaḥ ha’Qodesh.