NLT Illustrated Study Bible - Book of Acts - Flipbook - Page 47
A cts 1 6 : 7
2003
15:29
Gen 9:4
Lev 17:1014
15:32
Acts 11:27; 13:1
15:36
Acts 13:4, 1314, 51;
14:1, 6, 2425
15:37
Acts 12:12, 25
15:38
Acts 13:13
16:1
Acts 14:6
Phil 2:1922
2 Tim 1:2, 56; 3:15
16:3
Gal 2:35
16:5
Acts 9:31
16:7
Rom 8:9
Phil 1:19
Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden
on you than these few requirements:
29 You must abstain from eating food
offered to idols, from consuming blood
or the meat of strangled animals, and
from sexual immorality. If you do this,
you will do well. Farewell.”
them in Pamphylia and had not continued
with them in their work. 39 Their disagree
ment was so sharp that they separated.
Barnabas took John Mark with him and
sailed for Cyprus. 40 Paul chose Silas, and as
he left, the believers entrusted him to the
Lord’s gracious care. 41 Then he traveled
throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthen
Joyful Return to the Antioch Church
ing the churches there.
30 The messengers went at once to Antioch,
where they called a general meeting of the Paul Returns to Derbe and Lystra
believers and delivered the letter. 31 And
Paul went first to Derbe and then
to Lystra, where there was a young
there was great joy throughout the church
that day as they read this encouraging disciple named Timothy. His mother was a
Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek.
message.
2 Timothy was well thought of by the be
32 Then Judas and Silas, both being proph
ets, spoke at length to the believers, encour lievers* in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul
aging and strengthening their faith. 33 They wanted him to join them on their journey.
stayed for a while, and then the believers In deference to the Jews of the area, he ar
sent them back to the church in Jerusalem ranged for Timothy to be circumcised be
with a blessing of peace.* 35 Paul and Barna fore they left, for everyone knew that his
bas stayed in Antioch. They and many others father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from
taught and preached the word of the Lord town to town, instructing the believers to
follow the decisions made by the apostles
there.
and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
were strengthened in their faith and grew
from Antioch (15:36–18:22)
larger every day.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36 After some time Paul said to Barn ab as,
A Call from Macedonia
“Let’s go back and visit each city where we 6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the
previously preached the word of the Lord, area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy
to see how the new believers are doing.” Spirit had prevented them from preaching
37 Barn ab as agreed and wanted to take
the word in the province of Asia at that time.
along John Mark. 38 But Paul disagreed 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they
strongly, since John Mark had deserted headed north for the province of Bithynia,*
16
15:33 Some manuscripts add verse 34, But Silas decided to stay there. 16:2 Greek brothers; also in 16:40. 16:67 Phrygia,
Galatia, Asia, Mysia, and Bithynia were all districts in what is now Turkey.
15:29 Farewell: The letter to the
churches includes this familiar Hellenis
tic greeting at the end of a letter, found
only here in the NT. Paul often ended
his letters on a more theological note
(e.g., 1 Cor 16:2324; 2 Cor 13:13; see
Eph 6:2324; Phil 4:23; Col 4:18; 1 Thes
5:2328; 1 Tim 6:21).
15:3031 The believers at Antioch
received the decision with great joy that
conversion to Judaism and keeping all
the requirements of the law of Moses
was not required of them. The dispute
had been resolved, so the work of teach
ing and preaching in Antioch could
continue unimpeded.
15:3641 The discordant separation of
Paul and Barnabas is indicated by a very
strong word in Greek (their disagreement was so sharp). It was an honest
disagreement between two godly men
about whether John Mark (Barnabas’s
cousin, Col 4:10) should be given a
second chance to accompany them on
a mission journey after he had deserted
them in Pamphylia (see Acts 13:13). The
PROPHETS OF ISRAEL
rift between Paul and John Mark was
eventually healed (2 Tim 4:11).
15:4041 Following his disagreement
with Barnabas over John Mark, Paul
chose Silas as his partner for a second
missionary journey through Syria
and Cilicia. The two men traveled over
land to visit Derbe and Lystra, explain
ing the decision of the Jerusalem
council and strengthening believers
in their faith.
16:13 Paul returned to churches that
he and Barnabas had established on
their previous journey.
16:3 Paul had Timothy circumcised
to enhance Timothy’s acceptance
and effectiveness as a Jew in Jewish
circles (contrast Titus, who was a full
Gentile, Gal 2:3). Elsewhere Paul clari
fied that it makes no difference to God
whether we are circumcised or not
circumcised (Rom 2:2529; Gal 5:6;
6:15). Paul was prepared to use any
legitimate means to communicate the
Good News (1 Cor 9:2021) to various
audiences.
GOSPELS & ACTS
16:45 Paul and Silas faithfully commu
nicated the decisions of the Jerusalem
council. The wisdom of the decision
was indicated as the churches were
strengthened in their faith and grew
larger every day (cp. 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1;
9:31; 21:20).
16:610 God directed the missionaries’
travels: The Holy Spirit had prevented
them from proceeding westward into
the province of Asia, the Spirit of Jesus
did not allow them to go north to
Bithynia, and then Paul had a vision
calling them to go northwest over the
Aegean Sea to Macedonia. God’s Spirit
guided his servants in Acts in a variety of
ways, including divine visions (see also
9:10; 10:916; 22:18), direct intuition
(cp. 8:29, 39; 10:19; 20:22), counsel with
other believers (cp. 15:29), guidance
through prayer (13:2, 4), insight through
Scripture (28:2527), and prophecy
(11:28). Guidance by the indwelling Holy
Spirit helped them to accomplish their
mission to be Christ’s witnesses (1:8; see
also 4:8, 31; 11:24; 13:9).
L E T T E R S O F PAU L
OTHER LET TERS
