Acts 13:4

So Barnabas and Saul, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Luke narrates the departure of Barnabas and Saul from Antioch immediately after the local church’s commissioning in Acts 13:3, as the pair prepares to cross to Cyprus.

The words — The aorist passive participle ἐκπεμφθέντες (ekpemphthentes) translates literally as "having been sent forth," explicitly qualified by ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος (hupo tou hagiou pneumatos), "by the Holy Spirit."

The thread — This departure fulfills the Holy Spirit’s directive in Acts 13:2 to set apart Barnabas and Saul, while echoing the earlier scattering of believers to Cyprus in Acts 11:19 and noting Barnabas’s native land in Acts 4:36.

Why it lands — The text states that the journey to Seleucia and Cyprus occurred because the Holy Spirit sent them. The reader must acknowledge that the mission’s origin and direction are determined by divine commission rather than human strategy.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

ΑὐτοὶAutoiThey themselves μὲνmenindeed οὖνountherefore ἐκπεμφθέντεςekpemphthenteshaving been sent forth ὑπὸhupoby τοῦtouof the ἁγίουhagiouHoly τοῦtouthe πνεύματοςpneumatosSpirit κατῆλθονkatēlthonwent down εἰςeisto τὴνtēn<the>Σελεύκειαν,SeleukeianSeleucia,ἐκεῖθένekeithenFrom there τεtethen ἀπέπλευσανapepleusanthey sailed εἰςeisto τὴνtēn<the>Κύπρον.KupronCyprus.

King James Version

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

Cross-references

Acts 4:36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),
Acts 13:2 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 11:19 Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.
Acts 20:23 I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.
Acts 27:4 After putting out from there, we sailed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

Places named

Cyprus Seleucia