^26 (A)men who have ^(B)risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent ^(C)Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good ^(D)to the Holy Spirit and ^(E)to us ^(F)to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ^29 (G)that you abstain from ^(H)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 ^(I)prophets, encouraged and ^(J)strengthened ^(K)the brothers with many words. ³³ And after they had spent some time, they were sent off ^(L)in peace by ^(M)the brothers to those who had sent them.^{[a] 35} But ^(N)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 ^(O)the brothers ^(P)in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them ^(Q)John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one ^(R)who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose ^(S)a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. ^(T)Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, ^(U)having been commended by ^(V)the brothers to ^(W)the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, ^(X)strengthening the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul^[b] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named ^(Y)Timothy, ^(Z)the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. ² He was well spoken of by ^(AA)the brothers^[c] at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he ^(AB)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 ^(AC)the decisions ^(AD)that had been reached by ^(AE)the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ^5 (AF)So the churches were strengthened in ^(AG)the faith, and they increased in numbers ^(AH)daily.

The Macedonian Call

⁶ And ^(AI)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 ^(AJ)the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. ⁸ So, passing by Mysia, they went down ^(AK)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^[d] had seen the vision, immediately ^(AL)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 ^(AM)made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to ^(AN)Philippi, which is a leading city of the^[e] district of Macedonia and ^(AO)a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. ¹³ And ^(AP)on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate ^(AQ)to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we ^(AR)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, ^(AS)who was a worshipper of God. The Lord ^(AT)opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵ And after she was baptized, ^(AU)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 ^(AV)prevailed upon us.