Acts 15:36–16:5

Paul and Barnabas Separate

³⁶And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit ⁿthe brothers ^qin every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷Now Barnabas wanted to take with them ^rJohn called Mark. ³⁸But Paul thought best not to take with them one ^swho had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹And there arose ^ta sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. ^uBarnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰but Paul chose Silas and departed, ^vhaving been commended by ^wthe brothers to ^xthe grace of the Lord. ⁴¹And he went through Syria and Cilicia, ^ystrengthening the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16Paul¹ came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named ^zTimothy, ^athe son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. ²He was well spoken of by ^bthe brothers² at Lystra and Iconium. ³Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he ^ctook him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance ^dthe decisions ^ethat had been reached by ^fthe apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ^5gSo the churches were strengthened in ^hthe faith, and they increased in numbers ⁱdaily.