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Acts 15:35-16:15
Contemporary English Version
Acts 15:35-16:15
Contemporary English Version
34-35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached about the Lord.[a]
Paul and Barnabas Go Their Separate Ways
36 Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let's go back and visit the Lord's followers in the cities where we preached his message. Then we will know how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John, whose other name was Mark. 38 (A) But Paul did not want to, because Mark had left them in Pamphylia and had stopped working with them.
39 Paul and Barnabas argued, then each of them went his own way. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, 40 but Paul took Silas and left after the followers had placed them in God's care. 41 They traveled through Syria and Cilicia, encouraging the churches.
Timothy Works with Paul and Silas
16 Paul and Silas went back to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a follower named Timothy. His mother was also a follower. She was Jewish, and his father was Greek. 2 The Lord's followers in Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy, 3 and Paul wanted him to go with them. But Paul first had him circumcised, because all the Jewish people around there knew that Timothy's father was Greek.[b]
4 As Paul and the others went from city to city, they told the followers what the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem had decided, and they urged them to follow these instructions. 5 The churches became stronger in their faith, and each day more people put their faith in the Lord.
Paul's Vision in Troas
6 Paul and his friends went through Phrygia and Galatia, but the Holy Spirit would not let them preach in Asia. 7 After they arrived in Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not let them. 8 So they went on through[c] Mysia until they came to Troas.
9 During the night, Paul had a vision of someone from Macedonia who was standing there and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we began looking for a way to go to Macedonia. We were sure that God had called us to preach the good news there.
Lydia Becomes a Follower of the Lord
11 We sailed straight from Troas to Samothrace, and the next day we arrived in Neapolis. 12 From there we went to Philippi, which is a Roman colony in the first district of Macedonia.[d]
We spent several days in Philippi. 13 Then on the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to a place by the river, where we thought there would be a Jewish meeting place for prayer. We sat down and talked with the women who came. 14 One of them was Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira and sold expensive purple cloth. She was a worshiper of the Lord God, and he made her willing to accept what Paul was saying. 15 Then after she and her family were baptized, she kept on begging us, “If you think I really do have faith in the Lord, come stay in my home.” Finally, we accepted her invitation.
Footnotes
- 15.34,35 Verse 34, which says that Silas decided to stay on in Antioch, is not in some manuscripts.
- 16.3 had him circumcised … Timothy's father was Greek: Timothy would not have been acceptable to the Jews unless he had been circumcised, and Greeks did not circumcise their sons.
- 16.8 went on through: Or “passed by.”
- 16.12 in the first district of Macedonia: Some manuscripts have “and the leading city of Macedonia.”
Acts 15:35-16:15
New International Version
Acts 15:35-16:15
New International Version
35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached(A) the word of the Lord.(B)
Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns(C) where we preached the word of the Lord(D) and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,(E) with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them(F) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas(G) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.(H) 41 He went through Syria(I) and Cilicia,(J) strengthening the churches.(K)
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra,(L) where a disciple named Timothy(M) lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer(N) but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers(O) at Lystra and Iconium(P) spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.(Q) 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders(R) in Jerusalem(S) for the people to obey.(T) 5 So the churches were strengthened(U) in the faith and grew daily in numbers.(V)
Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia
6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia(W) and Galatia,(X) having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.(Y) 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus(Z) would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.(AA) 9 During the night Paul had a vision(AB) of a man of Macedonia(AC) standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we(AD) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel(AE) to them.
Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi
11 From Troas(AF) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi,(AG) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district[a] of Macedonia.(AH) And we stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath(AI) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira(AJ) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart(AK) to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household(AL) were baptized,(AM) she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
Footnotes
- Acts 16:12 The text and meaning of the Greek for the leading city of that district are uncertain.
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