Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

14 Now at Iconium ^(A)they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. ^2 (B)But the ^(C)unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against ^(D)the brothers.^{[a] 3} So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for ^(E)the Lord, who bore witness to ^(F)the word of his grace, ^(G)granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. ⁴ But the people of the city ^(H)were divided; ^(I)some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. ⁵ When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, ^(J)to mistreat them and ^(K)to stone them, ⁶ they learned of it and ^(L)fled to ^(M)Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, ⁷ and there they continued to preach the gospel.

Paul and Barnabas at Lystra

⁸ Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was ^(N)crippled from birth and had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and ^(O)seeing that he had faith to be made well,^{[b] 10} said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he ^(P)sprang up and began walking. ¹¹ And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, ^(Q)“The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” ¹² Barnabas they called ^(R)Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ And the priest of ^(S)Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and ^(T)wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. ¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they ^(U)tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ¹⁵ “Men, ^(V)why are you doing these things? We also are men, ^(W)of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that ^(X)you should turn from these ^(Y)vain things to ^(Z)a living God, ^(AA)who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. ¹⁶ In past generations he ^(AB)allowed all the nations ^(AC)to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷ Yet ^(AD)he did not leave himself without witness, for he ^(AE)did good by ^(AF)giving you rains from heaven and ^(AG)fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with ^(AH)food and ^(AI)gladness.” ¹⁸ Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

Paul Stoned at Lystra

^19 (AJ)But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, ^(AK)they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹ When they had preached the gospel to that city and had ^(AL)made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ^22 (AM)strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them ^(AN)to continue in ^(AO)the faith, and saying that ^(AP)through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. ²³ And when they had ^(AQ)appointed ^(AR)elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting ^(AS)they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

²⁴ Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, ²⁶ and from there they sailed to Antioch, ^(AT)where they had been ^(AU)commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. ²⁷ And when they arrived and gathered the church together, ^(AV)they declared all that God had done with them, and ^(AW)how he had ^(AX)opened ^(AY)a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they remained no little time with the disciples.

The Jerusalem Council

15 ^(AZ)But some men came down from Judea and were teaching ^(BA)the brothers, “Unless you are ^(BB)circumcised ^(BC)according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and ^(BD)debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and ^(BE)some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to ^(BF)the apostles and the elders about this question. ³ So, ^(BG)being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(BH)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and ^(BI)brought great joy to all ^(BJ)the brothers.^{[c] 4 (BK)}When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and ^(BL)the apostles and the elders, and ^(BM)they declared all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some believers who belonged to ^(BN)the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ^(BO)“It is necessary ^(BP)to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

^6 (BQ)The ^(BR)apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. ⁷ And after there had been much ^(BS)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, ^(BT)that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear ^(BU)the word of ^(BV)the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, ^(BW)who knows the heart, ^(BX)bore witness to them, ^(BY)by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁹ and ^(BZ)he made no distinction between us and them, ^(CA)having cleansed their hearts ^(CB)by faith. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, why ^(CC)are you putting God to the test ^(CD)by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples ^(CE)that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we ^(CF)believe that we will be ^(CG)saved through ^(CH)the grace of the Lord Jesus, ^(CI)just as they will.”

¹² And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul ^(CJ)as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they finished speaking, ^(CK)James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. ^14 (CL)Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them ^(CM)a people for his name. ¹⁵ And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

¹⁹ Therefore ^(CR)my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who ^(CS)turn to God, ²⁰ but should write to them ^(CT)to abstain from ^(CU)the things polluted by idols, and from ^(CV)sexual immorality, and from ^(CW)what has been strangled, and from ^(CX)blood. ²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, ^(CY)for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then it seemed good to ^(CZ)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called ^(DA)Barsabbas, and ^(DB)Silas, leading men among ^(DC)the brothers, ²³ with the following letter: ^(DD)“The brothers, both ^(DE)the apostles and the elders, to the brothers^[e] who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, ^(DF)greetings. ²⁴ Since we have heard that ^(DG)some persons have gone out from us and ^(DH)troubled you^[f] with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, ²⁵ it has seemed good to us, having come ^(DI)to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our ^(DJ)beloved Barnabas and Paul, ^26 (DK)men who have ^(DL)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent ^(DM)Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good ^(DN)to the Holy Spirit and ^(DO)to us ^(DP)to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ^29 (DQ)that you abstain from ^(DR)what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

³⁰ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. ³² And Judas and Silas, who were themselves ^(DS)prophets, encouraged and ^(DT)strengthened ^(DU)the brothers with many words. ³³ And after they had spent some time, they were sent off ^(DV)in peace by ^(DW)the brothers to those who had sent them.^{[g] 35} But ^(DX)Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Paul and Barnabas Separate

³⁶ And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit ^(DY)the brothers ^(DZ)in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them ^(EA)John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one ^(EB)who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose ^(EC)a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. ^(ED)Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, ^(EE)having been commended by ^(EF)the brothers to ^(EG)the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, ^(EH)strengthening the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul^[h] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named ^(EI)Timothy, ^(EJ)the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. ² He was well spoken of by ^(EK)the brothers^[i] at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he ^(EL)took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance ^(EM)the decisions ^(EN)that had been reached by ^(EO)the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ^5 (EP)So the churches were strengthened in ^(EQ)the faith, and they increased in numbers ^(ER)daily.

The Macedonian Call

⁶ And ^(ES)they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷ And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but ^(ET)the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. ⁸ So, passing by Mysia, they went down ^(EU)to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ And when Paul^[j] had seen the vision, immediately ^(EV)we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The Conversion of Lydia

¹¹ So, setting sail from Troas, we ^(EW)made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to ^(EX)Philippi, which is a leading city of the^[k] district of Macedonia and ^(EY)a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. ¹³ And ^(EZ)on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate ^(FA)to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we ^(FB)sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. ¹⁴ One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, ^(FC)who was a worshiper of God. The Lord ^(FD)opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵ And after she was baptized, ^(FE)and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she ^(FF)prevailed upon us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ As we were going to ^(FG)the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had ^(FH)a spirit of ^(FI)divination and ^(FJ)brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, ^(FK)crying out, “These men are ^(FL)servants of ^(FM)the Most High God, who proclaim to you ^(FN)the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ^(FO)“I command you ^(FP)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And ^(FQ)it came out that very hour.

¹⁹ But ^(FR)when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and ^(FS)dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. ²⁰ And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. ²¹ They ^(FT)advocate customs that are not lawful for us ^(FU)as Romans to accept or practice.” ²² The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders ^(FV)to beat them with rods. ²³ And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. ²⁴ Having received this order, he put them into the inner ^(FW)prison and fastened their feet in ^(FX)the stocks.

The Philippian Jailer Converted

^25 (FY)About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶ and suddenly ^(FZ)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately ^(GA)all the doors were opened, and ^(GB)everyone's bonds were unfastened. ²⁷ When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and ^(GC)was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” ²⁹ And the jailer^[l] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he ^(GD)fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, ^(GE)what must I do to be ^(GF)saved?” ³¹ And they said, ^(GG)“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you ^(GH)and your household.” ³² And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them ^(GI)the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he ^(GJ)was baptized at once, he and all his family. ³⁴ Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he ^(GK)rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

³⁵ But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” ³⁶ And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” ³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, ^(GL)uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” ³⁸ The police reported these words to the magistrates, and ^(GM)they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and ^(GN)asked them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ So they went out of the prison and visited ^(GO)Lydia. And when they had seen ^(GP)the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.