This occurred right after Jesus had appeared to Paul in the Temple during his fifteen day visit to Peter.
First trip back to Jerusalem......
Acts 22
17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Galatians 1
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
That is what I had in mind when I posted that some MADs will hold a different understanding on some of these things.
This that you assert is also held by those within MAD: who hold Acts 13 as the starting point of Paul's Gentile ministry.
Then there are those within MAD who hold that Ephesians 2 is the beginning of a different Gentile ministry.
I hold neither of those.
It depends on
1 - where one is looking at things from (in contrast to where one only thinks one is looking at things from), and that is greatly influenced by, a combination of;
2 - one's years in Scripture, and by;
3 - how aware one has been throughout, of one's tendency to end up at conclusions that further time in Scripture would actually reveal are actually off.
It is clear to me, based on those three criteria, that the Apostle Paul already had a thriving UNcircumcision ministry years before Acts 13.
One evidence of this being the following...
Acts 9:30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
Galatians 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
Not only was Tarsus in Cilicia, but it was a city the size of which fit Paul's ministry among the UNcircumcision perfectly: he tended to focus his efforts on cities that might then have an impact on the smaller surounding towns, etc...
Paul's assertion that Tarsus was not only in Cilicia, but that it was a city of some reknown...
Acts 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
Now, note the following...as to these "regions of Syria and Cilicia" that Paul relates having in invested time in, and that Acts 9 and 11 relate he had gone to.
Galatians 1:20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
Sometime after his time there...
Acts 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Why did Barnabas go and bring Paul back to Antioch?
Because he was the Apostle of the Gentiles...
Note the result of Paul's time in the regions of Syria and Cilicia in Acts 9...
Acts 15:23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Acts 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 15:41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
They already existed when Paul returned to confirm that the issue that had come up about the need for Gentiles to be circumcised and keep the Law was off-base.
And Paul often returns to those regions to invest time with them.
And all that is THIS SIDE of what Paul will later write about in Romans 1:18-3:20.
All that is AFTER Israel's fall.
Acts 13 is nothing more than Luke's witness through Paul that God has ALREADY concluded the following as to BOTH Israel and the Gentiles...
Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
In other words, Acts 13 is one more in a series of indictements against Israel that God has already proven fact.
The fact of the matter is that the Apostle Paul already had a thriving Gentile ministry WAY BEFORE Acts 13.