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And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Now there were, … — Bishop Ridley expounded the Acts and Paul’s Epistles every morning in his family, giving to every man a New Testament, hiring them besides with money to learn by heart certain principal chapters, but especially this thirteenth chapter of the Acts.

Herod’s foster brother — Puer collactaneus, συντροφος , one that had sucked of the same milk with Herod Antipas, who beheaded the Baptist. The love of foster brothers in Ireland (saith Camden) far surpasseth all the loves of all men. But Manaen hated all for Christ.

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As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

As they ministered — λειτουργαυντων . The Greek Scholiast hath it, κηρυττοντων , "as they preached," which is the chief office of a minister, and his highest honour. Others interpret it, "as they prayed," so the Syriac and Arabic. The Papists only, "as they sacrificed," to countenance their abominable idol of the mass.

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

Laid their hands on them — So separating and consecrating them to the work, as they did of old the beast for sacrifice, by laying their hands thereon.

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So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

Sailed to Cyprus — This island was anciently for its wealth called Macaria, that is, The Blessed. The people therein generally lived so at ease and pleasure, that thereof the island was dedicated to Venus, who was at Paphos especially worshipped, and much filthiness committed; yet thither are these apostles directed by the Holy Ghost, and a great man (with many others) converted to the faith. The Romans were invited by the wealth of the place to overrun it, Ita ut ius eius insulae avarius magis quam iustius simus assequuti, saith Sextus Rufus. But Christ (of his free grace) without any such motive, seized upon it by his gospel, and gathered a Church in it.

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And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

At Salamis — A city of Cyprus, at the east side of it, over against Syria.

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And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

Whose name was Barjesus — The son of Jesus; so he had called himself, as if of nearest alliance to our Saviour. The Syriac hath it Barshuma, the son of name or renown.

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Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

Which was with the deputy — The greater opposites to the truth have been ever the greatest courtiers. The Arians in their age. And of them the Jesuits learned it, and of them the Arminians, as Utenbogardus in the Low Countries, and Canterbury here.

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But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

But Elymas — Elymais is a part of Persia, the proper country of the magicians given to devilish arts. The devil daily commits the sin against the Holy Ghost, by opposing the known truth.

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