October 20 Daily Devotional

Acts 13

Antioch in Syria was one of the greatest cities in the Roman Empire. It was located about two hundred and fifty miles north of Jerusalem. Very early this city became a chief center of the believers. The large congregation at Antioch consisted of Jews and Gentiles. As has been mentioned, Saul and Barnabas had been active in this center, and the number of believers had increased considerably. Among these believers there were prophets and teachers, endowed with the Holy Spirit in a special manner. Apart from Barnabas and Saul the names of Agabus, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen are mentioned. These men realized the depth and darkness of sin. They realized the need of a Savior. They were convinced that Christ is the Savior, the only Savior. There is no salvation in any other.

As these prophets and teachers ministered to the Lord and fasted, “The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” John, a young man from Jerusalem, went along as their helper. They came to Seleucia at the shore of the Great Sea; and from thence they sailed to the island of Cyprus. On that island they visited all the cities and proclaimed Christ in all the synagogues of the Jews. At a place called Paphos, in the western section of the island, they met the Roman ruler, whose name was Sergius Paulus. He was a man of understanding, and was eager to hear the word of God, the message of salvation. But with the ruler there was a Jew, named Elymas, a sorcerer and false prophet, who withstood Barnabas and Saul in their teaching, and tried to persuade the ruler not to hear the gospel. “Then Saul, filled with the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”

From this time on Saul ceased to bear his old name and was called Paul. He was no longer Saul, but “Paul the Apostle,” having all the authority that belonged to Peter and John and the other apostles. Now the three—Paul, Barnabas and John—departed from Cyprus and sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. At this place John left them and returned to his home in Jerusalem.