³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,

² We all stumble^(A) in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say^(B) is perfect,^(C) able to keep their whole body in check.^(D)

¹⁰ My fellow prisoner Aristarchus^(A) sends you his greetings, as does Mark,^(B) the cousin of Barnabas.^(C) (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)

³⁶ Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas^(A) (which means “son of encouragement”),

¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[a](A) For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.^{(B) 20} Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.^(C)

²¹ So I find this law at work:^(D) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

On Cyprus

⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,^(A) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.^{(B) 5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God^(C) in the Jewish synagogues.^(D) John^(E) was with them as their helper.

⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer^(F) and false prophet^(G) named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul,^(H) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer^(I) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul^(J) from the faith.^{(K) 9} Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(L) looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil^(M) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?^{(N) 11} Now the hand of the Lord is against you.^(O) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”^(P)

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul^(Q) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

²⁰ Some of them, however, men from Cyprus^(A) and Cyrene,^(B) went to Antioch^(C) and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news^(D) about the Lord Jesus.

The Choosing of the Seven

6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing,^(A) the Hellenistic Jews^[a](B) among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows^(C) were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.^(D)