Old/New Testament

A Letter Is Sent To Clear Up The Issue And Encourage The Gentile Believers

²² Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, along with the whole church, that having chosen men from-among them they should send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas— Judas (the one being called Barsabbas) and Silas, leading men among the brothers, ²³ having written by their hand:

“The apostles and the elders, your brothers, to the brothers from the Gentiles throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. ²⁴ Because we heard that some having gone out from us disturbed you with words, unsettling your souls— to whom we did not give-orders— ²⁵ it seemed good to us, having become of-one-accord, having chosen men, that we should send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul— ²⁶ men^[a] having handed-over their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ Therefore we have sent-forth Judas and Silas; they also will be declaring the same things by spoken word. ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to be laying-on you no greater burden except these essentials^[b]: ²⁹ that you be abstaining from foods-sacrificed-to-idols, and blood, and strangled things, and sexual immorality; keeping yourselves from which things, you will do well. Farewell”.

³⁰ So indeed the ones, having been sent-away, went down to Antioch. And having gathered together the multitude, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And having read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement. ³² Both Judas and Silas, also themselves being prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long^[c] message. ³³ And having done time there, they were sent-away with greetings of peace from the brothers to the ones having sent them out. ^34 [d]

Paul And Barnabas Plan a Second Missionary Journey From Antioch, But Split Over John Mark

³⁵ Now Paul and Barnabas were spending-time in Antioch, teaching and announcing-as-good-news the word of the Lord, along with many others also. ³⁶ And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Having returned, let us now visit the brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord to see how they are having^[e] things”. ³⁷ And Barnabas was wanting to also take along John with them, the one being called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul was considering-it-fitting that they not be taking-along-with them this one having withdrawn^[f] from them since Pamphylia, and not having gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And a disagreement took-place, so that they were separated from one another. And Barnabas, having taken along Mark, sailed-off to Cyprus^[g].

Paul And Silas Revisit The Churches From Paul’s First Journey. Timothy Joins Them

⁴⁰ And Paul, having chosen^[h] Silas^[i], went forth, having been handed-over to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. ⁴¹ And he was going^[j] through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.