When Paul Chose Violence (Verbally) — Modern Paraphrase | nocap.bible
When Paul Chose Violence (Verbally).
Acts 13 — The chapter where the gospel stops asking permission and goes worldwide
11 min read
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Key Takeaways
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Paul's synagogue sermon is a full speedrun of Israel's history proving every single plot point was building toward Jesus.
The Law was never meant to set you free — it just showed you what you were trapped by, and Jesus does what the Law couldn't.
When the religious leaders got jealous and tried to shut it down, Paul pivoted to the Gentiles and the gospel went global.
📢 Chapter 13 — The First Missionary Road Trip 🌍
The early in was stacked with talent. We're talking and teachers — , a guy named (called Niger), Lucius from , Manaen who literally grew up with the tetrarch, and . This wasn't some random Bible study. This was one of the most diverse, Spirit-filled leadership teams in church history, all worshiping and together.
And then the showed up with a mission assignment that would change everything. What happens next is the launch of the first official missionary journey — and the leaving the building in a way nobody saw coming. 🔥
The Holy Spirit Picks the Squad 🎯
While this crew was deep in and fasting, the dropped a directive that was clear as day:
"Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me — for the work I've called them to."
No long explanation. No five-year strategic plan. Just: I need these two. Send them.
So the church did exactly that. They fasted some more, prayed over them, laid hands on them, and sent them out. This is what it looks like when a church actually listens to the Spirit — no committees, no drama, just . The first missionary journey started not with a fundraiser but with a fast. 🙏
Paul vs. the Sorcerer (It's Not Even Close) ⚡
Sent out by the , and headed to Seleucia and sailed to . They hit the in Salamis, preaching the , with helping out. They worked their way across the whole island until they reached Paphos, where things got interesting.
There was a sorcerer there — a Jewish false named Bar- (also called Elymas). He'd been hanging around the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, who was actually a smart dude. Sergius summoned Barnabas and Saul because he genuinely wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas tried to block them, doing everything he could to turn the proconsul away from the .
That's when Saul — now going by — looked Elymas dead in the eyes, filled with the Holy Spirit, and went off:
"You absolute fraud. Son of the devil. Enemy of everything that's right. You're full of deceit and corruption — will you ever stop twisting the straight paths of the Lord? The hand of the Lord is on you right now. You're going blind. You won't see the sun for a while."
Immediately — like, no delay — mist and darkness covered Elymas' eyes, and he was stumbling around looking for someone to lead him by the hand. Paul caught him in 4K and the Holy Spirit backed it up with power.
The proconsul saw all of this and believed. He wasn't just impressed by the — he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. That's the real flex: the signs point to the message, and the message points to God. ✨
John Mark Dips, Paul Keeps Moving 🚶
and his crew sailed from Paphos to Perga in . And here's where things get awkward: left them and went back to . (Quick context: this becomes a major issue later — Paul and will literally split up over it in chapter 15.)
But Paul and Barnabas weren't stopping. They pushed on from Perga to in Pisidia. On the , they walked into the and sat down. After the reading from and the , the synagogue leaders sent them a message:
"Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, go ahead."
They had no idea what they'd just invited. Paul was about to deliver one of the most important sermons in the entire book of Acts. 🎤
Paul Drops the Entire Lore of Israel 📖
stood up, motioned for attention, and went all the way back to the beginning:
"People of Israel and everyone here who fears God — listen up. The God of this nation chose our ancestors. He made the people great while they were in Egypt. He brought them out with His mighty arm. For about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness — and that took patience, fr fr. Then He destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave them the land as their inheritance. All of that took about 450 years.
After that, He gave them judges until Samuel the Prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. When God removed him, He raised up David as their king. And God said about David: 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'
And from David's family line, God has brought to Israel a Savior — Jesus — exactly as He promised. Before Jesus arrived, John the Baptist had been out there proclaiming a Baptism of Repentance to all of Israel. And as John was finishing his mission, he said: 'Who do you think I am? I'm not the one. But someone is coming after me, and I'm not even worthy to untie His sandals.'"
Paul wasn't just telling a story — he was building a case. Every single event in history was building toward one person. The whole plot was leading to . 👑
The Death, the Resurrection, the Receipts 🪨
shifted gears from history to the main event:
"Brothers — descendants of Abraham and all of you who fear God — this message of Salvation has been sent to US. The people in Jerusalem and their leaders didn't recognize Jesus. They didn't understand the Prophets' words that they read every single Sabbath — and by condemning Him, they actually fulfilled those exact prophecies.
Even though they found zero guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to execute Him. They carried out everything that was written about Him, took Him down from the cross, and put Him in a tomb.
But God raised Him from the dead. 🔥
For many days, He appeared to the people who had come with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are His witnesses right now. And we're bringing you the good news: what God promised to our ancestors, He has fulfilled for us by raising Jesus. As it's written in the second Psalm: 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'
And about the fact that He raised Him from the dead, never to decay again — God said: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.' And in another Psalm: 'You will not let your Holy One see decay.'
Because David, after he served God's purpose in his own generation, died and was buried and his body decayed. But the one God raised up did not decay."
This was Paul's closing argument: was , but he still died. The God made through David were never ultimately about David. They were about — the one who came back and stayed back. The isn't a footnote. It's the whole point. 💯
The Big Offer (and the Big Warning) ⚠️
Then brought it home with the invitation — and the stakes:
"So here's what you need to know, brothers: through Jesus, Forgiveness of Sins is being proclaimed to you. Everyone who believes in Him is freed from everything that The Law of Moses could never free you from.
But be careful — don't let what the Prophets warned about happen to you: 'Look, you scoffers — be astounded and perish. Because I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if someone tells it to you.'"
Paul didn't soften the landing. The was never designed to set you free — it showed you what you were trapped by. But does what couldn't. , , — all through in Him. And if you hear that and still reject it? That's on you. The warned about exactly that kind of stubbornness. 🧠
The Crowd Goes Wild (Literally) 🔥
When the service ended, people were begging and to come back next and say more. The sermon hit different.
After the meeting broke up, a bunch of Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas. As they talked, Paul and Barnabas urged them to keep holding on to the of God.
That's the key move after any spiritual breakthrough — don't just get hyped and move on. Continue in Grace. Stay rooted. 🫶
The Haters Arrive, the Gospel Pivots 🌎
The next , almost the ENTIRE city showed up to hear the word of the Lord. We're talking packed out. Standing room only. The engagement was unreal.
But when the Jewish leaders saw those crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They started contradicting everything said and straight-up trash-talking him. The Paul was getting — it made them salty.
So Paul and didn't back down. They spoke boldly:
"Paul and Barnabas said: 'The word of God had to be spoken to you first. But since you're pushing it away and judging yourselves unworthy of Eternal Life — we're turning to the Gentiles. Because this is what the Lord commanded us: "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring Salvation to the ends of the earth."'"
When the heard that? They started celebrating and glorifying the word of the Lord. As many as were appointed to believed. And the word of the Lord started spreading across the whole region.
But the opposition didn't stop. The Jewish leaders stirred up influential women and leading men of the city, organized persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and ran them out of town.
Paul and Barnabas' response? They shook the dust off their feet — a deliberate act of saying "we brought you the truth, and you rejected it, so we're moving on" — and headed to .
And the they left behind? They were filled with and with the . Not fear. Not discouragement. Joy. Because doesn't depend on the people who reject it. It keeps moving, it keeps spreading, and it keeps changing lives — no matter who tries to shut it down. ✨