Acts 13:4

My Notes

What Does Acts 13:4 Mean?

"So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus." The first missionary journey begins with a SENDING: the Holy Spirit sends Paul and Barnabas. They depart to Seleucia (the port city of Antioch) and sail to CYPRUS (Barnabas' homeland, 4:36). The journey is Spirit-INITIATED, not committee-PLANNED. The sending authority is the HOLY GHOST, not the church leadership. The church laid on hands (verse 3), but the SENDING was the Spirit's.

The phrase "being sent forth by the Holy Ghost" (ekpemphthentes hypo tou hagiou pneumatos — having been sent out by the Holy Spirit) makes the SPIRIT the sender: the church commissioned (verse 3). The Spirit SENT. The distinction matters: the church CONFIRMED what the Spirit INITIATED. The authority for the mission isn't institutional. It's pneumatic — Spirit-originated, Spirit-directed, Spirit-empowered. The mission is FROM the Spirit through the church, not from the church with the Spirit's blessing.

The route — "Seleucia... sailed to Cyprus" — traces a LOGICAL geography: Seleucia was the nearest port. Cyprus was the nearest island — and Barnabas' HOME. The Spirit's guidance doesn't ignore practical wisdom. The first destination is the FAMILIAR territory of one of the missionaries. The mission begins where relationships already exist. The Spirit sends to the STRATEGIC starting point.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What has the Spirit sent you to do — and have you departed?
• 2.What does the Spirit SENDING (not the church planning) teach about the origin of mission?
• 3.How does the first destination being FAMILIAR (Cyprus, Barnabas' home) describe strategic starting points?
• 4.What's the difference between the church confirming and the Spirit initiating — and which describes your mission?

Devotional

Sent by the Holy Spirit. To Seleucia. Then Cyprus. The first missionary journey begins with the SPIRIT doing the sending and the missionaries doing the going. The authority is pneumatic, not institutional. The church confirmed. The Spirit initiated. The departure was divine, not committee-driven.

The 'sent forth by the Holy Ghost' makes the SPIRIT the mission's author: the church fasted and prayed (verse 3). The church laid on hands. But the SENDING authority is the Holy Spirit. The church doesn't SEND Paul and Barnabas. The church RELEASES them in response to the Spirit's SENDING. The distinction is everything: the mission originates in the Spirit, not in the strategy meeting. The planning serves the sending. The sending precedes the planning.

The route to CYPRUS via SELEUCIA is both Spirit-directed and practically wise: Seleucia is the NEAREST port. Cyprus is the NEAREST island — and it's Barnabas' HOME (4:36). The Spirit doesn't send them to the most exotic or distant location first. The Spirit sends them to the STRATEGIC starting point — familiar territory, existing relationships, known culture. The mission begins where the missioners have connections. The Spirit's guidance includes practical geography.

The 'departed' (katēlthon — they went down) and 'sailed' (apepleusan — they sailed away) are MOVEMENT verbs that describe OBEDIENCE in motion: the sending produces the going. The Spirit sends. The missionaries depart. The authority produces the action. The obedience is physical — feet walking to Seleucia, bodies boarding a ship, wind carrying them to Cyprus. The spiritual sending becomes material traveling.

What has the Spirit SENT you to do — and have you departed yet?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture