Reading for May 9th

Read Acts 13.1-12
In 13.1-14.28: Paul's first missionary journey among Jews and gentiles.
In verse 1: These prophets and teachers (11.27-28) are largely unknown (Rom 16.21?), except for Barnabas and Saul and a suggested link with the court of Herod (Lk 8.3).
In verses 2-4: Other than through fasting and prayer (Lk 2.37; 5.33; Acts 14.23), Acts does not explain how the Holy Spirit spoke (16.6, 10), but the laying on of hands and sending them off are acts of obedience to this call (6.6; 8.17-19; 9.17), so that they go sent out by the Holy Spirit.
In verses 4-5: Seleucia was the port for Antioch, and Salmis, the eastern port of Cyprus.
Their first destination is the synagogues of the Jews (Lk 4.15; Acts 6.9; 13.14; 14.1; 16.13, 16, 17;18.4, 19, 26; 19.8).
John is John Mark (12.25; 13.13).
In verses 6-7: Paphos is on the western shore of Cyprus.
This magician (8.9-13) is also judged to be a false prophet (11.27-28; Deut 18.22).
Bar-Jesus or son of Joshua was a fitting name for a prophet (see Jesus, son of Ananias, in Josephus, war 6300-309), now contending with an agent of Jesus the Messiah for the hearing of the Roman proconsul (18.19).
In verses 8-9: Both the magician and Saul are know by more than one name, and Paul will be the apostle's (14.4, 14) name for the rest of the narrative.
In verses 10-11: This is the language of spiritual warfare (5.1-11; 8.20-24), renaming him again as son of the devil, not son of Joshua, and accusing him of making the paths crooked rather than straight (Isa 40.3-4; Lk 3.4-5).
In verse 11: Like Saul himself,Elymus is blind for a while and must be led by the hand (9.8-9; 22.11).
In verse 12: The proconsul is confronted with two sides of Jewish prophecy and teaching (13.1), and Paul demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit (13.9).
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