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Saul, Also Called Paul, Meets a Magician
(Acts 13:1-12)

In the city of Antioch, there was a special group of believers who loved and served Jesus. They gathered together to worship God and to ask Him what He wanted them to do. Among these believers were some important leaders. There was Barnabas, whose name means "son of encouragement." There was Simeon, who was called Niger. There was Lucius from Cyrene. There was Manaen, who had grown up with King Herod. And there was Saul of Tarsus.

One day, as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them. The Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." The church leaders prayed and fasted some more. Then they placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them on their journey. This was the beginning of the first missionary journey.

Barnabas and Saul traveled to a place called Seleucia. From there, they sailed to the island of Cyprus. When they arrived in the city of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and proclaimed the word of God. They had a young man named John Mark to help them. They traveled across the whole island until they reached the city of Paphos.

In Paphos, they met a man who was a magician. He was a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was also called Elymas. This man was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, who was a wise and intelligent man. Sergius Paulus wanted to hear the word of God, so he called for Barnabas and Saul.

But Elymas the magician opposed them. He tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. He did not want Sergius Paulus to believe in Jesus. Saul, who was also called Paul, looked straight at Elymas. Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with power. He said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time."

Immediately, a mist and darkness fell upon Elymas. He groped around, looking for someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he was amazed. He believed in the Lord Jesus and was filled with wonder at the teaching about the Lord. The power of God was clearly shown, and the gospel message went forward with great impact.

A Curious Question

Did you notice the Bible starts calling him Paul right as the good news reaches Sergius Paulus, a Roman leader? I wonder why God wanted His message to reach people from every nation, not just one.

Old Testament Connection

This story connects to the Abrahamic Covenant, where God promised Abraham that all the families of the earth would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 12:3). God's plan was always to reach every nation. When the Holy Spirit sent Barnabas and Paul on their journey, they were fulfilling this promise by taking the good news to people like Sergius Paulus, a Gentile leader. This mission also echoes the prophecy in Isaiah about being a light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6). Paul's encounter with Elymas the magician shows that God's power is greater than any false prophecy or magic, just as Moses confronted Pharaoh's magicians in Exodus. The true God always proves Himself victorious over all other powers.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think the Holy Spirit chose Barnabas and Saul for this special mission?
  2. What did Paul's actions against Elymas the magician teach everyone about the power of God?
  3. How did the proconsul's response to seeing God's power encourage the early believers?

So What? What Can I Do?

  • Have you ever felt scared to tell someone about Jesus? How can you be brave like Paul?
  • Are there people at school or in your neighborhood who don't know about God? How can you share God's love with them this week?
  • When you face something scary or hard, how can you remember that God's power is stronger than anything else?

Memorize God's Word

Acts 13:47
"For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

• For so the Lord has commanded us, saying cup your hands around your mouth as if shouting a command far away.

I have made you a light hold one hand up high like a torch or a bright lamp.

for the Gentiles spread your arms out wide to show all the people groups of the world.

that you may bring salvation make a scooping motion with both hands as if gathering people in.

to the ends of the earth point both index fingers forward and sweep them across in a big circle to show the whole world.

Praying with Kids

Dear Father, thank You for sending Paul and Barnabas to tell others about Jesus. Please give us courage to be like them and share Your love with people we meet. Help us to trust that Your power is greater than any challenge we face. Open our eyes to see people the way You see them. In Jesus' name, amen.

Craft or Activity

Light of the World Candle

Materials Checklist:

How to Make the Light of the World Candle:

  1. Cut a rectangle shape from the cardstock to be your candle body. Decorate it with markers or stickers.
  2. Write the words from Acts 13:47 on the candle: "I have made you a light for the Gentiles."
  3. Cut out a flame shape from the yellow and orange tissue paper. Glue the layers together.
  4. Attach your tissue paper flame to the top of the candle using the glue stick.
  5. Place your candle where you can see it every day to remind you to shine God's light to others.

Effective Teaching Techniques

For Younger Children: Focus on the miracle of the blindness and how it showed God's power. Use simple words to explain that Paul was brave because the Holy Spirit helped him.

For Older Kids: Explain that Saul and Paul were both his names all along. Saul was his Hebrew name, and Paul was his Roman name. The Bible begins using Paul here as he starts taking the gospel into the Roman world. Talk about how God can use anyone's background and gifts for His purpose.

Classroom Management: Before reading the story, have children hold up their hands like a "stop sign" every time they hear the name Paul. This keeps them engaged and listening for key details.

Prep Shortcut: Pre-cut the cardstock rectangles and flame shapes before class to save time. Have the verse stickers ready so children can apply them quickly.