7. He was closely associated with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent and sensible man of sound understanding; he summoned to him Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the Word of God [concerning salvation in the kingdom of God attained through Christ].
8. But Elymas the wise man–for that is the translation of his name [which he had given himself]–opposed them, seeking to keep the proconsul from accepting the faith.
9. But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit, looked steadily at [Elymas]
10. And said, You master in every form of deception and recklessness, unscrupulousness, and wickedness, you son of the devil, you enemy of everything that is upright and good, will you never stop perverting and making crooked the straight paths of the Lord and plotting against His saving purposes? [Hos. 14:9.]
11. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind, [so blind that you will be] unable to see the sun for a time. Instantly there fell upon him a mist and a darkness, and he groped about seeking persons who would lead him by the hand.
12. Then the proconsul believed (became a Christian) when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished and deeply touched at the teaching concerning the Lord and from Him.
13. Now Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John [Mark] separated himself from them and went back to Jerusalem,
14. But they [themselves] came on from Perga and arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue there and sat down.
15. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders [of the worship] of the synagogue sent to them saying, Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation or consolation or encouragement for the people, say it.
16. So Paul arose, and motioning with his hand said, Men of Israel and you who reverence and fear God, listen!
17. The God of this people Israel selected our forefathers and made this people great and important during their stay in the land of Egypt, and then with an uplifted arm He led them out from there. [Exod. 6:1, 6.]
18. And for about forty years like a fatherly nurse He cared for them in the wilderness and endured their behavior. [Deut. 1:31.]
19. When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave them [the Hebrews] their land as an inheritance [distributing it to them by lot; all of which took] about 450 years. [Deut. 7:1; Josh. 14:1.]
20. After that, He gave them judges until the prophet Samuel.
21. Then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22. And when He had deposed him, He raised up David to be their king; of him He bore witness and said, I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart, who will do all My will and carry out My program fully. [I Sam. 13:14; Ps. 89:20; Isa. 44:28.]