Acts 15:36–16:5

Paul and Barnabas Part Company

³⁶After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers in every town ^fwhere we have preached the message of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” ³⁷Barnabas wanted to take along John Mark. ^g38But Paul did not think it appropriate to take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. ³⁹There was such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark ^hwith him and sailed off to Cyprus. ⁴⁰Then Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. ⁱ⁴¹He traveled through Syria ^jand Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Paul Selects Timothy

16Then he went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, ^kthe son of a believing Jewish woman, ^lbut his father was a Greek. ²The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him. ^m3Paul wanted Timothy ⁿto go with him, so he took him and circumcised ^ohim because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for them to observe. ^p5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily. ^q