W𝕖𝕖𝕜𝕝𝕪 B𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕠𝕗 A𝕔𝕥𝕤 15 22-41

22 Then the apostles and elders, with the rest of the believers, decided to choose some of their own men and send them back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 And with them they sent a letter saying, “The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard some men - which we did not send - have come to you and have troubled and upset you with their teaching. 25 So we met together and decided to choose some men to send to you along with our good brothers Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus. 27 So we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what it is we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, not to burden you with rules and requirements more than to 29 abstain from food sacrificed to idols, (which was part of gentile worship of other ‘gods’) and from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from all sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” 30 So the men were sent off to Antioch where they called the believers/followers together and gave them the letter. 31 The people read it and were happy for the encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, teachers and prophets, spoke for some time, encouraging and strengthening the faith of the believers. 33 They stayed for a while and then the believers sent them on their way, with their blessing, back to Jerusalem, 34 except for Silas, who decided to stay longer. 35 And Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others were speaking and teaching the word/message of the Lord. 36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas agreed, but he wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 But last time Mark had quit and turned back early on in the travels, so Paul didn’t think it was a good idea. 39 Paul and Barnabas’ disagreement became so sharp they parted company. Barnabas and Mark sailed to Cyprus. 40 And after the believers had entrusted them to the Lord's care, Paul and Silas left, 41 traveling through Syria and Cilicia encouraging the churches.

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     Very Brief Outline of Acts:

Jesus returns to where he was with the Father before his advent/visit (his brief first one).

The Holy Spirit/Presence of God is poured out on the believers who were in Jerusalem on the late Spring holy day of Pentecost. Peter speaks, there are 3000 new believers that day.

The good news message spreads, Peter is invited and goes to a Roman’s house and all believe. The first record of non Hebrew believers (besides likely some on Pentecost).

     Persecution breaks out.. jail. stoning. Pharisee Saul leads the persecution, but on his way to Damascus with papers for arrests, Jesus makes himself seen but is so bright Paul falls to the ground and is blinded. After two days he is healed and is a believer, and soon is called Paul. He wrote many (to most) of the New Testament letters, but spent a few years (it seems to me) exclusively listening to the Lord. He established many ‘churches’ in what’s called three missionary journeys, and met and worked with Mark and Luke, and quite a few others. (Luke wrote this Book of Acts.) His fourth journey is to Rome to trial as a prisoner. There’s a shipwreck on the way.. He wrote many of his letters while in prison and under ‘house’ arrest.

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