Acts 13
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Acts chapter 13 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
3 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
Acts 13
1Now there were some in the church being in Antioch who were prophets and teachers: both Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.Ἦσαν δέ τινες ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ κατὰ τὴν οὖσαν ἐκκλησίαν προφῆται καὶ διδάσκαλοι, ὅ τε Βαρνάβας καὶ Συμεὼν ὁ καλούμενος Νίγερ καὶ Λούκιος ὁ Κυρηναῖος, Μαναήν τε Ἡρῴδου τοῦ τετράρχου σύντροφος καὶ Σαῦλος.
2Now as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”λειτουργούντων δὲ αὐτῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ νηστευόντων εἶπε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, Ἀφορίσατε δή μοι τὸν Βαρνάβαν καὶ τὸν Σαῦλον εἰς τὸ ἔργον ὃ προσκέκλημαι αὐτούς.
3Then, fasting and praying, and laying their hands on them, they sent them away.τότε νηστεύσαντες καὶ προσευξάμενοι καὶ ἐπιθέντες τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῖς ἀπέλυσαν.
4So these two, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.Οὗτοι μὲν οὖν ἐκπεμφθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου κατῆλθον εἰς τὴν Σελεύκειαν, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ἀπέπλευσαν εἰς τὴν Κύπρον.
5And arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.καὶ γενόμενοι ἐν Σαλαμῖνι κατήγγελλον τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων· εἶχον δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννην ὑπηρέτην.
6And going across the island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus,διελθόντες δὲ τὴν νῆσον ἄχρι Πάφου εὗρόν τινα μάγον ψευδοπροφήτην Ἰουδαῖον ᾧ ὄνομα Βαριησοῦν,
7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.ὃς ἦν σὺν τῷ ἀνθυπάτῳ Σεργίῳ Παύλῳ, ἀνδρὶ συνετῷ. οὗτος προσκαλεσάμενος Βαρνάβαν καὶ Σαῦλον ἐπεζήτησεν ἀκοῦσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
8But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) resisted them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith.ἀνθίστατο δὲ αὐτοῖς Ἐλύμας, ὁ μάγος—οὕτω γὰρ μεθερμηνεύεται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ—ζητῶν διαστρέψαι τὸν ἀνθύπατον ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως.
9But Saul, who also is called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and gazing intently at him,Σαῦλος δέ, ὁ καὶ Παῦλος, πλησθεὶς Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ ἀτενίσας εἰς αὐτὸν
10he said, “O full of all guile and all craft, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?εἶπεν, Ὦ πλήρης παντὸς δόλου καὶ πάσης ῥᾳδιουργίας, υἱὲ διαβόλου, ἐχθρὲ πάσης δικαιοσύνης, οὐ παύσῃ διαστρέφων τὰς ὁδοὺς Κυρίου τὰς εὐθείας;
11And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.” And immediately a mistiness and darkness fell upon him, and going about, he sought someone to lead him by the hand.καὶ νῦν, ἰδού, χεὶρ Κυρίου ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ ἔσῃ τυφλὸς μὴ βλέπων τὸν ἥλιον ἄχρι καιροῦ. παραχρῆμα δὲ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀχλὺς καὶ σκότος, καὶ περιάγων ἐζήτει χειραγωγούς.
12Then when the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.τότε ἰδὼν ὁ ἀνθύπατος τὸ γεγονὸς ἐπίστευσεν ἐκπλησσόμενος ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ τοῦ Κυρίου.
13Now Paul and his companions put to sea from Paphos, and came to Perga of Pamphylia; But John deserted them and returned to Jerusalem.Ἀναχθέντες δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Πάφου οἱ περὶ τὸν Παῦλον ἦλθον εἰς Πέργην τῆς Παμφυλίας. Ἰωάννης δὲ ἀποχωρήσας ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα.
14But they went from Perga, and arrived in Antioch of Pisidia, and entering into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, they sat down.αὐτοὶ δὲ διελθόντες ἀπὸ τῆς Πέργης παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν τῆς Πισιδίας, καὶ εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων ἐκάθισαν.
15Now after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent to them, saying, “Men and brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἀπέστειλαν οἱ ἀρχισυνάγωγοι πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγοντες, Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, εἰ ἔστι λόγος ἐν ὑμῖν παρακλήσεως πρὸς τὸν λαόν, λέγετε.
16And Paul, arising and motioning with his hand, said, “Men, Israelites, and you who fear God, listen:Ἀναστὰς δὲ Παῦλος καὶ κατασείσας τῇ χειρὶ εἶπεν, Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεόν, ἀκούσατε.
17The God of this people chose our fathers, and lifting up the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm brought them out from it.ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, καὶ τὸν λαὸν ὕψωσεν ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ μετὰ βραχίονος ὑψηλοῦ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς.
18Now for a time of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness.καὶ ὡς τεσσαρακονταετῆ χρόνον ἐτροποφόρησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.
19And destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land to them as an inheritance.καὶ καθελὼν ἔθνη ἑπτὰ ἐν γῇ Χαναὰν κατεκληρονόμησεν αὐτοῖς τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν.
20“And after these things, for about four hundred and fifty years, He gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ὡς ἔτεσι τετρακοσίοις καὶ πεντήκοντα ἔδωκε κριτὰς ἕως Σαμουὴλ τοῦ προφήτου.
21And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.κἀκεῖθεν ᾐτήσαντο βασιλέα, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Σαοὺλ υἱὸν Κίς, ἄνδρα ἐκ φυλῆς Βενιαμίν, ἔτη τεσσαράκοντα.
22And removing him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom He also said bearing witness, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, to be a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’καὶ μεταστήσας αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Δαυὶδ εἰς βασιλέα, ᾧ καὶ εἶπε μαρτυρήσας, Εὗρον Δαυὶδ τὸν τοῦ Ἰεσσαί, ἄνδρα κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν μου, ὃς ποιήσει πάντα τὰ θελήματά μου.
23God, from the seed of this man, according to the promise, has brought to Israel salvation,τούτου ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος κατ᾽ ἐπαγγελίαν ἤγαγε τῷ Ἰσραὴλ σωτηρίαν,
24after John had first proclaimed before His coming, the baptism of repentance to Israel.προκηρύξαντος Ἰωάννου πρὸ προσώπου τῆς εἰσόδου αὐτοῦ βάπτισμα μετανοίας τῷ Ἰσραήλ.
25Now as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Whom do you suppose me to be? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandal of whose feet I am not worthy to loosen.’ὡς δὲ ἐπλήρου ὁ Ἰωάννης τὸν δρόμον, ἔλεγε, Τίνα με ὑπονοεῖτε εἶναι; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγώ. ἀλλ᾽ ἰδού, ἔρχεται μετ᾽ ἐμὲ οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄξιος τὸ ὑπόδημα τῶν ποδῶν λῦσαι.
26“Men, brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the message of this salvation has been sent.Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, υἱοὶ γένους Ἁβραάμ, καὶ οἱ ἐν ὑμῖν φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεόν, ὑμῖν ὁ λόγος τῆς σωτηρίας ταύτης ἀπεστάλη.
27For those dwelling in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor the voices of the Prophets which are read according to each Sabbath, condemning him, they fulfilled the Scriptures.οἱ γὰρ κατοικοῦντες ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες αὐτῶν τοῦτον ἀγνοήσαντες καὶ τὰς φωνὰς τῶν προφητῶν τὰς κατὰ πᾶν σάββατον ἀναγινωσκομένας κρίναντες ἐπλήρωσαν.
28And finding no cause for death, they asked Pilate that He be executed.καὶ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου εὑρόντες ᾐτήσαντο Πιλᾶτον ἀναιρεθῆναι αὐτόν.
29And when they finished all the things having been written about Him, taking Him down from the tree, they put Him in a tomb.ὡς δὲ ἐτέλεσαν πάντα τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένα, καθελόντες ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου ἔθηκαν εἰς μνημεῖον.
30But God raised Him from the dead;ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν·
31who appeared for many days more to those going up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.ὃς ὤφθη ἐπὶ ἡμέρας πλείους τοῖς συναναβᾶσιν αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, οἵτινές εἰσι μάρτυρες αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν λαόν.
32And we proclaim to you the good news of the promise which was made to the fathers,καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελιζόμεθα τὴν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἐπαγγελίαν γενομένην, ὅτι ταύτην ὁ Θεὸς ἐκπεπλήρωκε τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτῶν, ἡμῖν, ἀναστήσας Ἰησοῦν,
33that God has fulfilled this promise for us to their children, when He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ τῷ δευτέρῳ γέγραπται, Υἱός μου εἶ σύ· ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε.
34And that He raised Him from the dead, no longer being about to return to corruption, thus He has said: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ὅτι δὲ ἀνέστησεν αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν μηκέτι μέλλοντα ὑποστρέφειν εἰς διαφθοράν, οὕτως εἴρηκεν ὅτι Δώσω ὑμῖν τὰ ὅσια Δαυὶδ τὰ πιστά.
35Therefore also in another Psalm He says, ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’διὸ καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ λέγει, Οὐ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν.
36“For David indeed in his own generation, having served by the purpose of God, died, and was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;Δαυὶδ μὲν γὰρ ἰδίᾳ γενεᾷ ὑπηρετήσας τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλῇ ἐκοιμήθη καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶδε διαφθοράν·
37but He whom God raised up did not see corruption.ὃν δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἤγειρεν οὐκ εἶδε διαφθοράν.
38Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this Man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,γνωστὸν οὖν ἔστω ὑμῖν, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ὅτι διὰ τούτου ὑμῖν ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν καταγγέλλεται,
39and from all things from which you could not (by the Law of Moses) be justified, by Him everyone that believes is justified.καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν οὐκ ἠδυνήθητε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Μωϋσέως δικαιωθῆναι, ἐν τούτῳ πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων δικαιοῦται.
40Watch therefore, lest there come upon you that which was spoken of in the prophets:βλέπετε οὖν μὴ ἐπέλθῃ ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τοῖς προφήταις,
41‘Behold, you despisers, and marvel and perish! For I will work a work in your days which you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you.’ ”Ἴδετε, οἱ καταφρονηταί, καὶ θαυμάσατε καὶ ἀφανίσθητε, ὅτι ἔργον ἐγὼ ἐργάζομαι ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ὑμῶν, ὃ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε ἐάν τις ἐκδιηγῆται ὑμῖν.
42Now as the Jews were going out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be spoken to them the next Sabbath.Ἐξιόντων δὲ ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων παρεκάλουν τὰ ἔθνη εἰς τὸ μεταξὺ σάββατον λαληθῆναι αὐτοῖς τὰ ῥήματα.
43And when the synagogue service was broken up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.λυθείσης δὲ τῆς συναγωγῆς ἠκολούθησαν πολλοὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ τῶν σεβομένων προσηλύτων τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Βαρνάβᾳ, οἵτινες προσλαλοῦντες ἔπειθον αὐτοὺς ἐπιμένειν τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ.
44On the coming Sabbath, almost all the city was assembled to hear the word of God.Τῷ τε ἐρχομένῳ σαββάτῳ σχεδὸν πᾶσα ἡ πόλις συνήχθη ἀκοῦσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
45And the Jews, seeing the crowds, were filled with jealousy and spoke against the things being said by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τοὺς ὄχλους ἐπλήσθησαν ζήλου καὶ ἀντέλεγον τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου λεγομένοις, ἀντιλέγοντες καὶ βλασφημοῦντες.
46But Paul and Barnabas, speaking boldly said, “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first; but since you thrust it away, and judge yourselves not worthy of eternal life; behold, we turn to the Gentiles.παρρησιασάμενοι δὲ ὁ Παῦλος καὶ ὁ Βαρνάβας εἶπον, Ὑμῖν ἦν ἀναγκαῖον πρῶτον λαληθῆναι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπωθεῖσθε αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἀξίους κρίνετε ἑαυτοὺς τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς, ἰδού, στρεφόμεθα εἰς τὰ ἔθνη.
47For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you to be a light of the nations, that you should be for salvation to the end of the earth.’ ”οὕτω γὰρ ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος, Τέθεικά σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς.
48Now when the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.Ἀκούοντα δὲ τὰ ἔθνη ἔχαιρε καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅσοι ἦσαν τεταγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
49And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.διεφέρετο δὲ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου δι᾽ ὅλης τῆς χώρας.
50But the Jews incited the devout and prominent women and the leading men of the city, and raised up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out from their borders.οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι παρώτρυναν τὰς σεβομένας γυναῖκας καὶ τὰς εὐσχήμονας καὶ τοὺς πρώτους τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἐπήγειραν διωγμὸν ἐπὶ τὸν Παῦλον καὶ τὸν Βαρνάβαν, καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων αὐτῶν.
51But shaking off the dust from their feet against them, they went to Iconium.οἱ δὲ ἐκτιναξάμενοι τὸν κονιορτὸν τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἦλθον εἰς Ἰκόνιον.
52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἐπληροῦντο χαρᾶς καὶ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου.
The Fathers on Acts 13
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Acts 13:4–5Saint John Chrysostom“So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.”
Read Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles →
On Acts 13:16–17Saint John Chrysostom“Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought He them out of it.”
Read Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles →
On Acts 13:42Open Acts 13 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John Chrysostom“And as they were going out (text rec. ‘from the syn. of the Jews,’) they besought (the Gentiles) that these words might be spoken unto them on the following sabbath.”
Read Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles →