Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

141 Now in Iconium they went together to the Synagogue of the Jews and gave such teaching that a great number of Jews and Greeks had faith. 2 But those Jews who had not the faith, made the minds of the Gentiles bitter against the brothers. 3 So they kept there for a long time, taking heart in the Lord, who gave witness to the word of his grace by causing signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But there was a division among the people of the town; some were on the side of the Jews and some on the side of the Apostles. 5 And when a violent attempt was made by the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, to make an attack on them and have them stoned, 6 Having got news of it, they went in flight to the towns of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe, and the country round about: 7 And went on preaching the good news there.

Paul Stoned at Lystra

8 And at Lystra there was a certain man, who from birth had been without the use of his feet, never having had the power of walking. 9 This man was giving ear to the preaching of Paul, who, looking at him, and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 Said in a loud voice, Get up on your feet. And, jumping up, he went walking about. 11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they said in a loud voice, in the language of Lycaonia, The gods have come down to us in the form of men. 12 And they gave the name of Jupiter to Barnabas, and to Paul that of Mercury, because he was the chief talker. 13 And the priest of the image of Jupiter, which was before the town, took oxen and flowers to the doors of the town, and was about to make an offering with the people. 14 But when this came to the ears of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas, they went running out among the people, parting their clothing, and crying out, 15 Good people, why are you doing these things? We are men with the same feelings as you, and we give you the good news so that you may be turned away from these foolish things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them: 16 Who in the past let all nations go in the ways which seemed good to them. 17 But he was not without witness, because he did good, and gave you rain from heaven and times of fruit, making your hearts full of food and joy. 18 And even with these words, it was hard for them to keep the people from making an offering to them.

19 But some Jews came to that place from Antioch and Iconium, and got control over the people; and after stoning Paul, they had him pulled out of the town, taking him for dead. 20 But when the disciples came round him, he got up and went into the town: and the day after he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 And having made a number of disciples through the preaching of the good news in that town, they went back to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch, 22 Making strong the souls of the disciples, saying to them that they were to keep the faith, and that we have to go through troubles of all sorts to come into the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had made selection of some to be rulers in every church, and had given themselves to prayer and kept themselves from food, they put them into the care of the Lord in whom they had faith.

The Return to Antioch in Syria

24 And they went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 And, after preaching the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; 26 And from there they went by ship to Antioch, where they had been handed over to the grace of God for the work which they had not done. 27 And when they came there, and had got the church together, they gave them an account of all the things which God had done through them, and how he had made open a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they were with the disciples there for a long time.

The Council at Jerusalem

151 Now certain men came down from Judaea, teaching the brothers and saying that without circumcision, after the rule of Moses, there is no salvation. 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had had no little argument and discussion with them, the brothers made a decision to send Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them to the Apostles and the rulers of the church at Jerusalem about this question. 3 So they, being sent on their way by the church, went through Phoenicia and Samaria, giving news of the salvation of the Gentiles, to the great joy of all the brothers. 4 And when they came to Jerusalem, they had a meeting with the church and the Apostles and the rulers, and they gave an account of all the things which God had done through them. 5 But some of the Pharisees, who were of the faith, got up and said, It is necessary for these to have circumcision and to keep the law of Moses.

6 And the Apostles and the rulers of the church came together and gave thought to the question. 7 And when there had been much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, My brothers, you have knowledge that some time back it was God's pleasure that by my mouth the good news might be given to the Gentiles so that they might have faith. 8 And God, the searcher of hearts, was a witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit even as he did to us; 9 Making no division between them and us, but making clean their hearts by faith. 10 Why then are you testing God, by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke so hard that not even our fathers or we were strong enough for it? 11 But we have faith that we will get salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way as they. 12 And all the people were quiet while Barnabas and Paul gave an account of the signs and wonders which God had done among the Gentiles by them. 13 And when they had come to an end, James, answering, said, My brothers, give ear to me: 14 Symeon has given an account of how God was first pleased to take from among the Gentiles a people for himself. 15 And this is in agreement with the words of the prophets, as it is said, 16 After these things I will come back, and will put up the tent of David which has been broken down, building up again its broken parts and making it complete: 17 So that the rest of men may make search for the Lord, and all the Gentiles on whom my name is named, 18 Says the Lord, who has made these things clear from the earliest times. 19 For this reason my decision is, that we do not put trouble in the way of those who from among the Gentiles are turned to God; 20 But that we give them orders to keep themselves from things offered to false gods, and from the evil desires of the body, and from the flesh of animals put to death in ways against the law, and from blood. 21 For Moses, from times long past, has his preachers in every town, reading his law in the Synagogues every Sabbath.

22 Then it seemed good to the Apostles and the rulers and all the church, to send men from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; Judas, named Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers: 23 And they sent a letter by them, saying, The Apostles and the older brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, may joy be with you: 24 Because we have knowledge that some who went from us have been troubling you with their words, putting your souls in doubt; to whom we gave no such order; 25 It seemed good to us, having come to an agreement together, to send these men to you, with our well loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 And so we have sent Judas and Silas, who will say the same things to you themselves, by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to put on you nothing more than these necessary things; 29 To keep from things offered to false gods, and from blood, and from things put to death in ways which are against the law, and from the evil desires of the body; if you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. May you be happy. 30 So they, being sent away, came down to Antioch, and having got the people together, they gave them the letter. 31 And after reading it, they were glad of its comfort. 32 And Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, gave teaching to the brothers and made them strong in the faith. 33 And when they had been there for some time, they were sent back in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 34 [] 35 But Paul and Barnabas kept on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of God, with a number of others.

Paul Separates from Barnabas and Begins the Second Missionary Journey

36 And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go back and see the brothers in every town where we have given the word of God, and see how they are. 37 And Barnabas had a desire to take with them John, named Mark. 38 But Paul was of the opinion that it was not right to take with them one who had gone away from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with the work. 39 And there was a sharp argument between them, so that they were parted from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and went by ship to Cyprus; 40 But Paul took Silas and went away with the blessing of the brothers. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, making the churches stronger in the faith.