Acts 13:2

Acts 13:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
• New International Version (NIV)While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
• New King James Version (NKJV)As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Context of Acts 13:2

1There were some prophets among the group of believers in Antioch. They taught the other believers more about Jesus. Barnabas and Simeon were two of these men. (People also called Simeon ‘Niger’.) There was Lucius who had lived in Cyrene. There was also Manaen who had lived together with the ruler Herod when they were children. And there was Saul. One day, the believers were meeting together. They were praising the Lord God and they were praying. They also fasted for a time. During that time, the Holy Spirit said to them, ‘I have chosen Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for me. Let them go now and do it.’ 3The believers continued to pray and to fast. Then the leaders put their hands on Barnabas and Saul and they prayed for them. They sent them away to start this new work. 4The Holy Spirit sent Barnabas and Saul away from Antioch. They travelled to the town of Seleucia, which is near the coast. From there they travelled on a ship to an island called Cyprus.

Acts 13:2 word by word

λειτουργούντων δὲ αὐτῶν τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ νηστευόντων εἶπεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· ἀφορίσατε δή μοι τὸν Βαρναβᾶν καὶ Σαῦλον εἰς τὸ ἔργον ὃ προσκέκλημαι αὐτούς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Asδέde · thenG1161
• theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• ministeredλειτουργέωleitourgeō · to ministerG3008
• to the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• to the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• fastedνηστεύωnēsteuō · to fastG3522
• the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Separateἀφορίζωaphorizō · to separateG873
• ·δήdē · soG1211
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• ·τεte · and/bothG5037
• BarnabasΒαρνάβαςBarnabas · BarnabasG921
• SaulΣαῦλοςSaulos · SaulG4569
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the workἔργονergon · workG2041
• whereuntoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• I have calledπροσκαλέωproskaleomai · to call to/summonG4341

Cross-references for Acts 13:2

• Acts 6:4Then we will have more time to pray. We will also have more time to teach people God's message.’
• Deuteronomy 10:8At that time, the Lord chose the tribe of Levi to carry the Lord's Covenant Box. He chose them to be his special servants. They had to pray for the Lord to bless his people. They still do these things today.
• 1 Samuel 2:11Then Elkanah went back to his home at Ramah with his family. But the young boy, Samuel, stayed in Shiloh. He served the Lord there, while Eli the priest took care of him.
• 1 Chronicles 16:4Then David chose some Levites to serve the Lord at the Covenant Box. They would lead prayers and songs to thank the Lord, Israel's God, and to praise him.
• Romans 15:16I am a servant of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles. I tell people God's good news. I work like a priest so that God will accept the Gentiles. I offer them to God. The Holy Spirit has made them clean and so God accepts them.
• Colossians 4:17Say to Archippus, ‘As you serve the Lord, be careful to finish the work that he gave you to do.’
• 2 Timothy 1:11That is the same good news that God has chosen me to tell to people. He has sent me as his apostle to teach his message to people.
• 2 Timothy 4:5But you yourself must continue to think seriously and clearly. Be patient and brave when troubles come. Continue to tell the good news about Christ to people. Do all the work that God has given you to do as his servant.
• Acts 13:3The believers continued to pray and to fast. Then the leaders put their hands on Barnabas and Saul and they prayed for them. They sent them away to start this new work.
• Acts 10:30Then Cornelius said, ‘Three days ago, I was in my house at this time of the day. It was three o'clock in the afternoon and I was praying to God. Suddenly, a man appeared and he stood in front of me. He was wearing bright clothes that shone.
• Daniel 9:3So I turned to my Lord God, to ask him for help. I prayed to him and I ate no food. I wore clothes of rough sackcloth. I put ashes on myself to show that I was upset.
• Matthew 6:16Jesus then said, ‘You may decide to fast for some time. But do not look sad so that people know you are doing a special thing. Hypocrites want people to see how good they are. They make their faces dirty. Then other people can see that they are fasting. I tell you this: people have praised them and that is the only gift that they will get.
• Matthew 9:14Then the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus. They said to him, ‘We often decide to fast for a time. The disciples of the Pharisees also do that. Why do your disciples never do that?’
• Luke 2:37After that, she had lived alone until she was 84 years old. Now she never left the temple. She stayed there day and night to worship God. She fasted and she prayed.
• 1 Corinthians 7:5Do not refuse to have sex with each other, unless both of you agree to stop for a short time. Then you can use more time to pray. But you should come together again soon, as husband and wife. If not, Satan may try to make you do something wrong. You may want too strongly to have sex with someone else.
• 2 Corinthians 6:5Sometimes people hit us. They put us in prison. They attack us. But we work hard. We cannot always sleep at night. We are often hungry.

Commentaries on Acts 13:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted - On Mondays and Thursdays it was usual with the more pious Jews to attend the public service in their synagogues, and to fast: the former is what we are to understand by ministering to the Lord. On the Sabbaths they attended the service in the synagogue, but did not fast. The Greek word, , signifies performing the office of praying, supplicating, rendering thanks, etc.: hence the word , liturgy, the work of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2As they ministered to the Lord - It is probable that this took place on some day set apart for fasting and prayer. The expression “ministered to the Lord” means as they were engaged in prayer to the Lord, or as they were engaged in divine service. The Syriac thus renders the passage. The Holy Ghost said - Evidently by direct revelation. Separate me - Set apart to me, or for my service. It does not mean to ordain, but simply to designate, or appoint to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3prophets and teachers: these leaders of the church at Antioch spent a lot of time in worship and prayer. They had an intense desire to do the Lord's will, and they fasted to spiritually prepare themselves to receive guidance from God. As they prayed, the Holy Spirit spoke to them. The church set apart Barnabas and Saul, recognizing God's clear call for them to do a special work in his name. The inner journey these Christians took to pray and listen to God…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. As they ministered to the Lord--The word denotes the performance of official duties of any kind, and was used to express the priestly functions under the Old Testament. Here it signifies the corresponding ministrations of the Christian Church. and fasted--As this was done in other cases on special occasions (Ac 13:3, 14, 23), it is not improbable that they had been led to expect some such prophetic announcement at this time. the Holy Ghost…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 13:2

• Call
• Fasting
• Gentiles
• Holy Spirit
• Minister, Christian
• Missions
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Barnabas
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Holy Ghost
• Call
• Light
• Lo
• Ordain
• Prophet
• Season

Commentaries on Acts 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings