Acts 13:7-22

7He was associated with an intelligent man, Sergius Paulus, who was the governor of the island. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear God’s word.

8Elymas, whose name means astrologer, opposed them and tried to distort the meaning of the faith so that the governor wouldn’t believe.

9But Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He stared at Elymas

10and said, “You are full of dirty tricks and schemes, you son of the devil! You hate everything that has God’s approval. Quit trying to distort the truth about the way the Lord wants people to live.

11The Lord is against you now. For a while you will be blind, unable to see the light of day.” Suddenly, Elymas couldn’t see a thing. He tried to find people to lead him.

12When the governor saw what had happened, he believed. The Lord’s teachings amazed him.

13Paul and his men took a ship from Paphos and arrived in Perga, a city in Pamphylia. John Mark deserted them there and went back to Jerusalem.

14Paul and Barnabas left Perga and arrived in Antioch, a city near Pisidia. On the day of rest—a holy day, they went into the synagogue and sat down.

15After reading from Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent ⌞a message⌟ to Paul and Barnabas. The message said, “Brothers, if you have any words of encouragement for the people, feel free to speak.”

16Then Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Men of Israel and converts to Judaism, listen to me.

17The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors and made them a strong nation while they lived as foreigners in Egypt. He used his powerful arm to bring them out of Egypt,

18and he put up with them for about forty years in the desert.

19Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as an inheritance.

20He did all this in about four hundred and fifty years. “After that he gave his people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel.

21“Then the people demanded a king, so God gave them Saul, son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years

22God removed Saul and made David their king. God spoke favorably about David. He said, ‘I have found that David, son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’