Part 169

15:22. Then it pleased the apostles and ancients, with the whole church, to choose men of their own company and to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.

15:23. Writing by their hands: The apostles and ancients, brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles that are at Antioch and in Syria and Cilicia, greeting.

15:24. Forasmuch as we have heard that some going out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no commandment:

15:25. It hath seemed good to us, being assembled together, to choose out men and to send them unto you, with our well beloved Barnabas and Paul:

15:26. Men that have given their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15:27. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also will, by word of mouth, tell you the same things.

15:28. For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no further burden upon you than these necessary things:

15:29. That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication: from which things keeping yourselves, you shall do well. Fare ye well.

From blood, and from things strangled. . .The use of these things, though of their own nature indifferent, was here prohibited, to bring the Jews more easily to admit of the society of the Gentiles; and to exercise the latter in obedience. But this prohibition was but temporary, and has long since ceased to oblige; more especially in the western churches.

15:30. They therefore, being dismissed, went down to Antioch and, gathering together the multitude, delivered the epistle.

15:31. Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

15:32. But Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, with many words comforted the brethren and confirmed them.

15:33. And after they had spent some time there, they were let go with peace by the brethren unto them that had sent them.

15:34. But it seemed good unto Silas to remain there: and Judas alone departed to Jerusalem.

15:35. And Paul and Barnabas continued at Antioch, teaching and preaching, with many others, the word of the Lord.

15:36. And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas: Let us return and visit our brethren in all the cities wherein we have preached the word of the Lord, to see how they do.

15:37. And Barnabas would have taken with them John also, that was surnamed Mark.

15:38. But Paul desired that he (as having departed from them out of Pamphylia and not gone with them to the work) might not be received.

15:39. And there arose a dissension so that they departed one from another. And Barnabas indeed, taking Mark, sailed to Cyprus.

15:40. But Paul, choosing Silas, departed, being delivered by the brethren to the grace of God.

15:41. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches, commanding them to keep the precepts of the apostles and the ancients.

Acts Chapter 16

Paul visits the churches. He is called to preach in Macedonia. He is scourged at Philippi.

16:1. And he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman that believed: but his father was a Gentile.

16:2. To this man the brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony.

16:3. Him Paul would have to go along with him: and taking him, he circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those places. For they all knew that his father was a Gentile.

16:4. And as they passed through the cities, they delivered unto them the decrees for to keep, that were decreed by the apostles and ancients who were at Jerusalem.

16:5. And the churches were confirmed in faith and increased in number daily.