Acts 13 2

Acts 13:2 kjv

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.

Acts 13:2 nkjv

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Acts 13:2 niv

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Acts 13:2 esv

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Acts 13:2 nlt

One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them."

Acts 13 verses

Acts 13 2 Meaning

Acts 13:2 describes a pivotal moment where the church in Antioch, while engaged in dedicated worship and fasting, received direct divine instruction from the Holy Spirit. This instruction specifically commissioned Barnabas and Saul for a designated mission, signifying a formal divine appointment and calling for a specific "work" previously ordained by God. This event marks the official launching point of the first major missionary journey aimed at Gentiles, underscoring the Holy Spirit's active role in guiding and initiating the church's outward mission.

Acts 13 2 Context

Acts chapter 13 opens a new phase in the expansion of the early church, moving beyond the initial spread within Judea and Samaria and the subsequent Gentile conversion in Antioch. Antioch itself, with its diverse Christian community, had become a significant center, nurturing "prophets and teachers." This specific verse details a key moment during a time of communal worship and spiritual discipline (fasting). The Spirit's direct intervention to commission Barnabas and Saul for their missionary journey elevates Antioch to the launchpad of systematic Gentile evangelism. It emphasizes that missionary work is initiated and guided by divine mandate rather than mere human strategy.

Acts 13 2 Word analysis

• While they were worshiping (λειτουργούντων - leitourgountōn): From leitourgeō, meaning "to perform a public service, minister, serve." In the Septuagint and Greek world, it often referred to cultic service (temple duties) or public works. Here, it refers to the church's collective, prayerful service and ministry to God, demonstrating dedicated, communal devotion and spiritual activity within the early Christian community.
• the Lord (τῷ Κυρίῳ - tō Kyriō): Refers to Jesus Christ, affirmed as the sovereign ruler and object of their worship. This distinguishes their service from any pagan or Jewish temple practices by directing it specifically to the risen Lord.
• and fasting (καὶ νηστευόντων - kai nēsteuontōn): Indicates a period of abstention from food for spiritual focus, intensified prayer, and seeking divine guidance. It signifies humility and earnest dependence on God, often preceding major decisions or spiritual breakthroughs in the Bible.
• the Holy Spirit (τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον - to Pneuma to Hagion): Refers to the third person of the Trinity, actively present and directly communicating. This highlights the Spirit's agency, authority, and ongoing role as the primary director of the church's mission.
• said (εἶπεν - eipen): Denotes direct verbal communication from the Holy Spirit, perceived audibly or through prophetic utterance within the congregation. This emphasizes the immediate and unmistakable nature of the divine command.
• Set apart (Ἀφορίσατε - Aphoriste): An imperative verb meaning "to separate, distinguish, appoint." It implies consecration and dedication for a specific, sacred purpose, echoing Old Testament concepts of setting apart individuals or objects for God's use (e.g., Levites, priests).
• for me (μοι - moi): Emphasizes that the selection and commission of Barnabas and Saul is for the Holy Spirit's purpose and glory, underscoring the Spirit's divine personhood and sovereign authority over the church's mission.
• Barnabas and Saul (τὸν Βαρνάβαν καὶ τὸν Σαῦλον - ton Barnaban kai ton Saoulon): The specific individuals divinely chosen. Barnabas was an established leader, and Saul (Paul) was an emerging figure crucial for the Gentile mission. Their selection here officially transitions Saul into his prominent apostolic role.
• for the work (εἰς τὸ ἔργον - eis to ergon): Refers to a particular task, mission, or labor. It implies a specific assignment with a defined scope, here referring to the global missionary journey.
• to which (ὃ - ho): A relative pronoun connecting the work directly to the divine initiative.
• I have called them (προσκέκλημαι αὐτούς - proskeklēmai autous): A perfect active indicative verb, signifying a prior, complete, and ongoing divine summons. The calling was already in place, but this moment in Antioch served as the formal, public commission and deployment. This asserts the pre-existence of God's plan for them.

• "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting": This phrase establishes the spiritual environment that preceded and facilitated the divine directive. It signifies a church deeply engaged in prayer, seeking God, and yielding to His will, suggesting that such spiritual disciplines prepare believers for receiving God's guidance.
• "the Holy Spirit said": This powerful declarative statement highlights the direct and undeniable nature of God's intervention. It illustrates the Holy Spirit's active, directive role in the early church's decision-making and mission strategy, emphasizing divine initiation rather than human strategy alone.
• "'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul'": This is a command to the assembled church leaders to perform an act of consecration. It’s a corporate recognition of a divine choice and a communal act of releasing these individuals into their designated roles under divine authority, not human choice.
• "'for the work to which I have called them'": This explains the purpose and origin of their mission. It signifies that the calling was not new in that moment but was a pre-established divine plan, with the current event being its activation and commissioning. The work is explicitly defined as belonging to the Spirit.

Acts 13 2 Bonus section

The term leitourgeō (translated as "worshiping" or "ministering") carries significant weight. In classical Greek, it referred to a public service performed for the state, often at the individual's expense. In the Septuagint, it denoted priestly service in the Temple. In Acts 13:2, its application to the general Christian community's activity broadens its meaning from an exclusively ritualistic or hierarchical function to a communal spiritual service directed towards God. This reinterpretation foreshadows the New Testament concept of all believers participating in a spiritual priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices and ministry (1 Pet 2:5,9; Heb 13:15).

The corporate nature of this spiritual encounter is also significant. The Holy Spirit speaks not just to an individual, but within the context of the gathered church leadership engaged in communal devotion. This emphasizes collective discernment and affirmation in response to divine directives concerning mission, fostering unity and shared responsibility in the launching of missionary efforts.

Acts 13 2 Commentary

Acts 13:2 unveils a crucial moment for Christian missions, illustrating the Holy Spirit's sovereign leadership in the church. During communal worship and fasting, activities reflecting spiritual hunger and devotion, the Spirit directly intervened to command the setting apart of Barnabas and Saul. This highlights that significant missionary endeavors are born not of human design, but from divine revelation, affirmed in a context of earnest seeking. The "setting apart" is a sacred consecration for "the work" to which the Spirit had already called them, demonstrating God's pre-ordained plan and timing. This event in Antioch established a foundational pattern for missions: Spirit-led commissioning, corporate recognition, and the dispatch of dedicated laborers, directly answering the Lord's call for harvest workers.