Acts 15:22-41
A Letter That Brought Encouragement
22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
23and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
25So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing.
28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:
29You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
30So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.
31When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.
32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
33After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers in peace to return to those who had sent them.
35But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
38But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.
39Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
41And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Berean Standard Bible
The apostles, elders, and the whole church choose Judas and Silas to travel with Paul and Barnabas. Their letter explains that troubling teachers had acted without authorization and that the church has reached its decision together.
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:
When the believers in Antioch read the letter, they rejoice. Judas and Silas strengthen them with encouragement. Later, Paul and Barnabas disagree sharply about whether John Mark should accompany them. They part ways, but the mission continues: Barnabas takes Mark, and Paul travels with Silas to strengthen the churches.
The apostles, elders, and the whole church choose Judas Barsabbas and Silas to go with Paul and Barnabas. The letter they carry says that some people went out from the church without authorization and disturbed the Gentile believers with words that unsettled their minds. The leaders refuse to make the Gentiles carry a burden God has not required.
The letter asks the Gentiles to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. These instructions protect fellowship in a mixed church where Jewish and Gentile believers must learn to eat and worship together. They are not a second route to salvation. The letter ends with a concise phrase: if the believers keep themselves from these things, they will do well.
The church in Antioch reads the letter and rejoices over its encouragement. Judas and Silas, who are prophets, encourage and strengthen the believers. After they leave, Paul and Barnabas continue teaching and preaching the word. Their later disagreement over John Mark is sharp enough to separate the missionary partners, but it does not end the mission. Barnabas takes Mark to Cyprus, and Paul chooses Silas and travels through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches.
Questions
1 Who carried the letter to Antioch?
AnswerJudas called Barsabbas and Silas carried it with Paul and Barnabas.
2 What did the letter say about the troubling teachers?
AnswerThey had gone out without authorization from the church.
3 How did the Antioch believers respond?
AnswerThey rejoiced at the encouraging message.
4 Why did Paul and Barnabas separate?
AnswerThey disagreed about taking John Mark with them.
What This Means for Us
Clear communication can calm a church, and disagreement does not always mean that every person has become an enemy. We should seek peace, tell the truth, and keep the work of strengthening people larger than our personal preferences.
Prayer
God, make our words truthful and encouraging. Give us grace when faithful people disagree and keep us focused on strengthening your church. Amen.