²³ And when ^(A)they had appointed ^(B)elders for them in every church, having ^(C)prayed with fasting, they ^(D)commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

² And when Paul and Barnabas had not a little dissension and ^(A)debate with them, ^(B)the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the ^(C)apostles and elders concerning this issue.

⁴ When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and ^(A)the apostles and the elders, and they ^(B)reported all that God had done with them.

^6 (A)Both the apostles and the elders came together to ^[a]look into this ^[b]matter.

²² Then it seemed good to ^(A)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them—Judas called Barsabbas, and ^(B)Silas, leading men among ^(C)the brothers—to send to ^(D)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, ²³ and they ^[a]sent this letter by them,

³⁰ So when they were sent away, ^(X)they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the ^[d]congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its ^[e]encouragement. ^32 (Y)And both Judas and ^(Z)Silas, also being ^(AA)prophets themselves, ^[f]encouraged and strengthened ^(AB)the brothers with a lengthy message. ³³ And after they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brothers ^(AC)in peace to those who had ^(AD)sent them. ^34 [g][But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.] ³⁵ But ^(AE)Paul and Barnabas spent a long time in Antioch, teaching and ^[h](AF)preaching with many others also, ^(AG)the word of the Lord.

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

³⁶ Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in ^(AH)every city in which we proclaimed ^(AI)the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ And Barnabas wanted to take ^(AJ)John, called Mark, along with them also. ³⁸ But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had ^(AK)deserted them ^[i]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there was such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took ^(AL)Mark with him and sailed away to ^(AM)Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul chose ^(AN)Silas and left, being ^(AO)committed by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he was traveling through ^(AP)Syria and ^(AQ)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

⁴ Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering ^(A)the decrees which had been decided upon by ^(B)the apostles and ^(C)elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to keep.

¹⁷ Now from Miletus he sent to ^(A)Ephesus and called to him ^(B)the elders of the church.

¹⁸ And the following day Paul went in with us to ^(A)James, and all ^(B)the elders were present.

Honoring the Elders

^17 (A)The elders who ^(B)lead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who ^(C)labor ^[a]at preaching the word and teaching.