1

A False Prophet named Bar-Jesus(Elymas) was Punished

2

Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.(Acts13:11-12)

3

Paul and Barnabas were the first missionaries who were sent by God from the church of Antioch to start their missionary work.

4

They were led by the Holy Spirit down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

5

They arrived at Salamis in the Cyprus Island and they looked for Jewish synagogues to preach the good news to them.

John Mark was together with them to help their mission.

6

They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. Bar-Jesus was always together with Sergius Paulus who was the governor of that place.

7

The governor was truly a wise man so he wanted to hear the good news from Paul and Barnabas. He called Paul and Barnabas and there was Bar-Jesus with him.

8

When Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the good news to the governor,

the false prophet, named Bar-Jesus, opposed them.

9

Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, could not just look over

what the false prophet opposed them of, so Apostle Paul said to Bar-Jesus,

10

"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun."

11

After Paul said this to him, a dark mist covered the false prophet,

Bar-Jesus, and immediately he could not see.

He said, "I can't see.”

12

After the punishment from God, Bar-Jesus could not see. He couldn't walk alone so he looked for a helper. Bar-Jesus became a blind beggar because he opposed God’s work.

13

The governor, after seeing this happening, understood God's existence and believed in the Jesus that Paul and Barnabas had been preaching.

14

Paul and Barnabas preached the good news eagerly to the governor.

The heart of the governor became sincere and he was inspired after receiving the good news. The governor believed in Jesus Christ.

15

Satan tried to disturb the governor in order to prevent him from listening to the good news through the false prophet, Bar-Jesus, but the Holy Spirit revealed this to Paul so he could protect the disturbance of Satan by blinding the eyes of Bar-Jesus.

16

God does not allow any disturbance of the good news. We should not be worried or be afraid when we preach the good news. When we have passion in preaching the good news like Paul and Barnabas, God will open all the ways before us and protect us from any hinderance.

17

Therefore, dear faithful friends we should always have the mind of missionaries

as messengers of the good news and the zeal for preaching the good news with confidence to those who have no faith in God.