14. READ: ACTS 15:30-41 AND ACTS 16:1-5
[Acts 15:30] "The men [two men from the Jerusalem
church--Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas--along with
Paul and Barnabas] were sent off and went down to Antioch, where
they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. [31]
The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. [32]
Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to
encourage and strengthen the brothers. [33] After spending some
time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of
peace to return to those who had sent them. [35] But Paul and
Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and
preached the Word of the Lord.
[36] "Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let
us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we
preached the Word of the Lord and see how they are doing.'
[37] Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,
[38] but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had
deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the
work. [39] They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted
company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, [40] but Paul
chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the
Lord. [41] He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the
churches.
[Acts 16:1] "He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where
a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a
believer, but whose father was a Greek. [2] The brothers at Lystra
and Iconium spoke well of him. [3] Paul wanted to take him along on
the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in
that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. [4] As
they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions
reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to
obey. [5] So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew
daily in numbers."
