Acts 15:29-41

²⁹That you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from impurity. If you guard yourselves against such things, it will be well with you. Farewell.’

³⁰So the bearers of this letter were sent on their way, and went down to Antioch. There they called a meeting of all the followers,

³¹and delivered the letter, the reading of which caused great rejoicing by its encouraging contents.

³²Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, further encouraged the them by many an address, and strengthened their faith.

³³After some stay, they were dismissed with kind farewells from the followers, and returned to those who had sent them.

³⁵Paul and Barnabas, however, remained in Antioch, where they taught and, with the help of many others, told the good news of the Lord's message.

³⁶Some time after this, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the Lord's followers in every town in which we have told the Lord's message, and see how they are prospering.”

³⁷Barnabas wished to take with them John, whose other name was Mark;

³⁸but Paul felt that they ought not to take with them the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with them to their work.

³⁹This caused such unpleasant feeling between them that they parted ways, Barnabas taking Mark and sailing for Cyprus,

⁴⁰while Paul chose Silas for his companion and, after he had been committed by the followers to the gracious care of the Lord,

⁴¹started on his journey and went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches in the faith.