Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins
(Acts 15:36–41; Acts 18:23–28)

1And certain prophets and teachers were in the church being in Antioch; as Barnabas, and Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2And they serving the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate to me Barnabas and Saul to the work which I have called them. 3Then having fasted and prayed, and put hands upon them, they let go.

On Cyprus

4Therefore these truly, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, came down to Seleucia and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 5And being in Salamis, they announced the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John a servant. 6And having passed through the island to Paphos, they found a certain magician, a false prophet, a Jew, the name to him Barjesus: 7Who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paul, an intelligent man; he having called Barnabas and Saul, sought anxiously to hear the word of God. 8And Elymas the magician withstood them, (for so was his name interpreted,) seeking to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9And Saul, (also Paul,) filled with the Holy Spirit, and looking intently upon him, said, 10O, full of deceit, and all dexterity, son of the devil, enemy of all justice, Wilt thou cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11And now, behold, the hand of the Lord upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun till the time. And immediately fell upon him mist and darkness; and going about he sought leading by hand. 12Then the proconsul having seen that done, he believed, being struck with amazement at the teaching of the Lord.

In Pisidian Antioch

13And having been brought from Paphos, they about Paul came to Perga of Pamphylia: and John, having departed from them, returned to Jerusalem. 14And they having passed from Perga, approached Antioch of Pisidia, and having come into the synagogue on the day of the sabbaths, they sat down. 15And after reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, Men, brethren, if the word of encouragement is in you to the people, speak. 16And Paul having risen, and shaken with the hand, said, Men, Israelites, and ye fearing God, hear ye. 17God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people in sojourning the land of Egypt, and with high arm brought them out of it. 18And about forty years time he bare them in the desert. 19And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he gave them to inherit this land by lot. 20And after these, about four hundred and fifty years he gave judges, even to Samuel the prophet. 21And thence they desired a king; and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, forty years. 22And having removed him, he raised up to them David for king; to whom also having testified, he said, I found David of Jesse, a man according to my heart, who shall do all my desires. 23From the seed of this has God according to promise raised up to Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 24John having proclaimed before the face of his coming the immersion of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25And as John completed the course, be said, Whom think ye me to be? I am not. But, behold, he comes after me, whose shoes of the feet I am not worthy to loose.

26Men, brethren, sons of Abraham's race, and those among you fearing God, to you was the word of this salvation sent. 27For they dwelling in Jerusalem, and their rulers, not having known him, and the voices of the prophets which being read in every sabbath, having judged, they filled up. 28And having found no cause of death, they desired Pilate to have him slain. 29And when they finished all things written concerning him, having taken down from the wood, they put in a tomb. 30And God raised him from the dead: 31Who was seen for many days to them having come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 32And we announce good news to you, the promise made to our fathers, 33For this has God completed to us, their children, having raised up Jesus; as it has also been written in the second Psalms, Thou art my Son; to day have I begotten thee. 34And that he raised him from the dead, no more about to return to corruption, so he said, That I will give you the holy, faithful things of David. 35For also in another, he says, Thou shalt not give thy Holy one to see corruption. 36For David, truly having served his own generation by the will of God, was set to sleep, and was added to his fathers, and saw corruption: 37But whom God raised up, he saw no corruption. 38Be it known therefore to you, men, brethren, that for him remission of sins is announced to you. 39And from all which ye could not be justified by Moses' law, every one believing in him is justified. 40See ye, therefore, that that spoken by the prophets come not upon you.

41See, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, which ye would not believe if any recount to you.

A Light for the Gentiles
(Isaiah 49:1–6)

42And the Jews having gone out of the synagogue, the nations besought to have these words spoken in the sabbath between. 43And the synagogue having been dissolved, many of the Jews and strangers worshipping, followed Paul and Barnabas: who speaking to them, persuaded them to remain in the grace of God.

44And the next sabbath nearly all the city was gathered together to hear the word of God. 45And the Jews, having seen the crowds, were filled with envy, and spake against the things said by Paul, contradicting and defaming. 46And Paul and Barnabas speaking freely, said, To you was it first necessary for the word of God to be spoken: but since ye reject it, and judge yourselves not worthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the nations.

47For so has the Lord commanded us, I have set thee for a light of the nations, for thee to be for salvation even to the last of the earth.

48And the nations having rejoiced, honoured the word of the Lord: and they believed, as many as were drawn out for eternal life. 49And the word of the Lord was conveyed through the whole country. 50And the Jews urged on the worshipping and distinguished women, and the first men of the city, and they raised up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and they cast them out of their bounds, 51And they, having shaken off the cloud of the dust of their feet against them, came into Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy, and the Holy Spirit.