Acts 13:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

NIV: So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

NASB: Then, when they had fasted, prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

CSB: Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.

NLT: So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

KJV: And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

NKJV: Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

The leadership of the church in Syrian Antioch, including Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul, have been praying and fasting. The Holy Spirit responds to them, telling them to commission Barnabas and Saul for special work: to travel and spread the story of Jesus and His offer of salvation and forgiveness (Acts 13:1–2).

Where before the group was fasting and praying either in search of guidance or as part of their normal worship, now they do so to seek blessing for Barnabas and Saul. They lay their hands on the two to show they authorize their commissioning. They are not endowing Barnabas and Saul with special spiritual gifts, as Barnabas is already a prophet and Saul is a teacher. And they're certainly not giving them the Holy Spirit—Barnabas received the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem (Acts 4:36–37; 11:22–24), and Saul when Ananias laid his hands on him (Acts 9:17).

Barnabas had first come to Syrian Antioch when the church leaders in Jerusalem heard that Gentiles there had accepted Christ. To effectively reach more people, Barnabas sent for Saul in nearby Tarsus (Acts 11:19–26). Now that church has grown enough to send the two on. After Barnabas and Saul finish their missionary journey, they will return to Antioch and report the Holy Spirit's work (Acts 14:26–27). One of the purposes of the church is to spread the news about Jesus and establish new churches. Syrian Antioch is a good example of this.

Acts 13:1–3 is a segue from Peter, the church in Jerusalem, and the evangelistic efforts in Judea and Samaria. This transitions to Paul and the expansion of the mixed Jewish / Gentile church in Syrian Antioch to modern-day Asia Minor. Peter and the Jerusalem church will only be mentioned again in the context of Paul's story (Acts 15:1–35; 21:17–26). Saul takes his Gentile name, Paul, as the worldwide church shifts to become a largely Gentile institution. The last stage of Jesus' commission in Acts 1:8—to spread His story among the Gentiles—takes center stage.

Acts 13 transitions Luke's account (Acts 1:1) fully into a record of Paul's ministry to spread the news about Jesus. The Holy Spirit calls Paul and Barnabas for their first missionary journey. They teach about Jesus' offer of forgiveness of sins on the island of Cyprus and in the district of Pisidia in modern-day south-central Asia Minor. Along the way, they face opposition, desertion, and persecution: themes that will follow Paul throughout his life. But they also experience the joy of watching the people they'd least expect come to a saving faith in Jesus.

The first chapters of Acts, save for a quick account of Paul's conversion (Acts 9:1–31), cover the ministry of the apostles, particularly Peter. Those passages also detail the spread of the news about Jesus from His followers. That message goes to the Jews of Jerusalem (Acts 2—7) and Judea (Acts 8:26–40; 9:32–43), the Samaritans (Acts 8:4–25), and God-fearing Gentiles (Acts 10—11). Now, Paul's contribution to the ''end of the earth'' portion of Jesus' commission in Acts 1:8 begins, as he and Barnabas start their first missionary journey. Luke will record two more of Paul's journeys (Acts 15:36—18:22 and 18:23—20:38) before settling in on his return to Jerusalem, arrest, and sea voyage to Rome (Acts 21—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.