Beginning

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

14 At Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together and so spoke that a great crowd of both Jews and Greeks believed. ² But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and embittered their minds against the brothers. ³ So they continued there a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to His gracious word, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. ⁴ But the people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles. ⁵ When an assault was planned by both Gentiles and Jews, with their leaders, to attack them and to stone them, ⁶ they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. ⁷ And there they preached the gospel.

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra

⁸ In Lystra there sat a man, crippled in his feet, who had never walked and was lame from birth. ⁹ He heard Paul speaking, who looked intently at him and perceived that he had faith to be healed ¹⁰ and said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he jumped up and walked.

¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” ¹² Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the main speaker. ¹³ The priest of Zeus, who was in front of the city, brought bulls and garlands to the gates to offer sacrifices with the crowds.

¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, preaching to you to turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them, ¹⁶ who in times past allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷ Yet He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying our hearts with food and gladness.” ¹⁸ With these words they scarcely restrained the crowds from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ Then some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there and persuaded the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead. ²⁰ But as the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. The next day he departed with Barnabas for Derbe.

The Return to Antioch in Syria

²¹ When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ²² strengthening the minds of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, to go through many afflictions and thus enter the kingdom of God. ²³ When they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they believed. ²⁴ Then they passed throughout Pisidia and came to Pamphylia, ²⁵ and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia.

²⁶ From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. ²⁷ When they arrived and had assembled the church, they reported what God had done through them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And there they stayed a long time with the disciples.

The Council in Jerusalem

15 Some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised in the tradition of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others among them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. ³ So being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers. ⁴ When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared what God had done through them.

⁵ Then some believers of the sect of the Pharisees rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”

⁶ The apostles and elders assembled to consider this matter. ⁷ After much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time ago God decided among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ God, who knows the heart, approved of them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did to us, ⁹ and made no distinction between them and us, and purified their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now then, why test God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

¹² The entire assembly remained silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they had become silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon has declared how God first visited the Gentiles to take from among them a people for His name. ¹⁵ With this the words of the prophets agree. As it is written:

¹⁹ “Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who are turning to God, ²⁰ but that we write to them to abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals, and from blood. ²¹ For Moses has had in every city since early generations those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

The Reply of the Council

²² Then it pleased the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas called Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers. ²³ They wrote this letter by their hand:

The apostles and the elders and the brothers,

To the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

Greetings.

²⁴ Since we have heard that some of us, whom we did not commission, have gone out and have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law,” ²⁵ it seemed good to us, being assembled in unity, 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 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will also speak to you, saying the same things. ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put on you no greater burden than these necessary things: ²⁹ Abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals, and from blood. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

Farewell.

³⁰ So when they were dismissed, they went down to Antioch. And when they had assembled the congregation, they delivered the letter. ³¹ When they had read it, they rejoiced over the exhortation. ³² Judas and Silas, being prophets themselves, exhorted the brothers with many words and strengthened them. ³³ After they had remained there for a time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to the apostles. ³⁴ But it seemed good to Silas to remain there. ³⁵ And Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Paul and Barnabas Separate

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit our brothers in every city where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas determined to take with them John, who was called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought it was not good to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ Then there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.