Acts 15:36-16:12

English Standard Version

Paul and Barnabas Separate

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 ³⁸But Paul thought best not to take with them one ^(D)who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.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

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul^[a] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named ^(K)Timothy, ^(L)the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. ²He was well spoken of by ^(M)the brothers^[b] at Lystra and Iconium. ³Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he ^(N)took 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 ^(O)the decisions ^(P)that had been reached by ^(Q)the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ⁵^(R)So the churches were strengthened in ^(S)the faith, and they increased in numbers ^(T)daily.

The Macedonian Call

⁶And ^(U)they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but ^(V)the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. ⁸So, passing by Mysia, they went down ^(W)to Troas. ⁹And 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.” ¹⁰And when Paul^[c] had seen the vision, immediately ^(X)we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The Conversion of Lydia

¹¹So, setting sail from Troas, we ^(Y)made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, ¹²and from there to ^(Z)Philippi, which is a leading city of the^[d] district of Macedonia and ^(AA)a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.