Book of Common Prayer

²² Then it pleased the apostles and elders with the whole congregation to send men chosen from their own company to Antioch (in Syria) with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas, called also Barsabas, and Silas, who were chief men among the brethren, ²³ and gave them letters in their hands as follows:

The apostles, elders, and brethren send greetings to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. ²⁴ Since we have heard that certain men who departed from us have troubled you with words and unsettled your minds, saying you must be circumcised and keep the law – to whom we gave no such instruction – ²⁵ it seemed therefore to us a good thing, when we came together with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also tell you the same things by mouth. ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put no greater burden upon you than these necessary things, ²⁹ that is to say, to abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and fornication. From which, if you keep yourselves, you will do well. So fare ye well.

³⁰ When they departed, they went to Antioch, and gathered the whole community together and delivered the epistle. ³¹ When they had read it, the people were glad of that consolation. ³² And Judas and Silas, being prophets, exhorted the brethren with much preaching, and strengthened them. ³³ And after they had stayed there a little while, they were let go in peace from the brethren to the apostles. ³⁴ Notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to remain there still. ³⁵ Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others.

Christ sends his apostles to heal people who were diseased. Of John and Herod. Of the five loaves and two fishes, and of the walking on the sea.

6 And he departed from there and went into his own country, and his disciples followed him. ² And when the Sabbath day came, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many who heard him were astonished and said, Where does he have these things from? And what wisdom is this that is given to him? And such miracles that are wrought by his hands! ³ Is this not that carpenter – Mary’s son, the brother of James and Joses, and of Judas and Simon? And are his sisters not here with us?

And they were offended by him. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour but in his own country, and among his own kin, and among those who are of the same household. ⁵ And he could show no miracles there, except he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them. ⁶ And he marvelled at their unbelief.

And he went about by the towns that lay on every side, teaching. ⁷ And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. ⁸ And he commanded them to take nothing for their journey save only a rod – no bag, no bread, no money in their belts – ⁹ but to be shod with sandals, and not to put on two coats. ¹⁰ And he said to them, Wherever you enter into a house, stay there till you move on from that town. ¹¹ And whoever does not receive you or hear you, when you leave there, shake off the dust that is under your feet, for a witness to them. I say truly to you, it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of judgment than for that place.

¹² And they went out and preached that the people should repent. ¹³ And they cast out many devils, and anointed many who were sick with oil, and healed them.