PAUL AND BARNABAS PART COMPANY

36 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every townd where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John who was called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Marke with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord.f 41 He traveled through Syriag and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

PAUL SELECTS TIMOTHY

16 Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy,h the son of a believing Jewish woman,i but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers and sisters at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him.j 3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so he took him and circumcisedk him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe.l 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.m