Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

13 Now there were in the church at Antioch ^(A)prophets and ^(B)teachers, ^(C)Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger,^[a] Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of ^(D)Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, ^(E)the Holy Spirit said, ^(F)“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul ^(G)for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and ^(H)praying they laid their hands on them and ^(I)sent them off.

³⁵ But ^(A)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 ^(B)the brothers ^(C)in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them ^(D)John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one ^(E)who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose ^(F)a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. ^(G)Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, ^(H)having been commended by ^(I)the brothers to ^(J)the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, ^(K)strengthening the churches.

Paul Returns to Antioch

¹⁸ After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of ^(A)the brothers^[a] and set sail for Syria, and with him ^(B)Priscilla and Aquila. At ^(C)Cenchreae ^(D)he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. ¹⁹ And they came to ^(E)Ephesus, and he left them there, but ^(F)he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. ²¹ But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you ^(G)if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

²² When he had landed at Caesarea, he ^(H)went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. ²³ After spending some time there, he departed and ^(I)went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, ^(J)strengthening all the disciples.