Acts 15:1-21, 36-41 · Read 10 min · think and write 15 min
In the last lesson, the church at Antioch laid hands on Paul and Barnabas and sent them out (Acts 13:3). They preached as they went, and along the way “John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13). This John, also called Mark, appears again in the second half of this lesson.
When the journey was over, the two of them came back to Antioch, gathered the assembly, and “they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations” (Acts 14:27).
Gentiles had come to believe, and that was good news. But soon some people were asking: do Gentiles need to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses first, before they can be saved?
1Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.”
2Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
3They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.
4When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.
5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
6The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.
7When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe.
8God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us.
9He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
10Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”
12All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.
13After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me.
14Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name.
15This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written,
16‘After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up
17that the rest of men may seek after the Lord: all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.’
18“All of God’s works are known to him from eternity.
19Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,
20but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.
21For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
The council wrote a letter and sent Judas and Silas back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; when the people there read the letter, they rejoiced. Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord. (vv. 22–35)
36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return now and visit our brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
37Barnabas planned to take John, who was called Mark, with them also.
38But Paul didn’t think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and didn’t go with them to do the work.
39Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,
40but Paul chose Silas and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.
41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.
A great dispute. Some men came down from Judea and said, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved” (v. 1). Paul and Barnabas “had no small discord and discussion with them” (v. 2). This was no small matter: the church at Antioch decided to send them up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders.
Joy along the way. On the road to Jerusalem they went about “declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers” (v. 3). At Jerusalem, “they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders” (v. 4). But at the meeting some also rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them” (v. 5).
Peter rose up. “When there had been much discussion” (v. 7), Peter rose and spoke of how God had let the Gentiles hear the Good News from his mouth. He said God had given them the Holy Spirit, “just like he did to us” (v. 8), and “made no distinction between us and them” (v. 9). His last sentence was: “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are” (v. 11).
Silence. Then “All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them” (v. 12). At this point the arguing stopped, and they listened.
James’s judgment. James quoted the prophets and said, “we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God” (v. 19). The council wrote a letter, and in it called them “our beloved Barnabas and Paul” (Acts 15:25). The letter reached Antioch: “When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement” (Acts 15:31). A great dispute, talked through together, came to a decision.
A sharp contention. Some days later, Paul wanted to go back and visit the brothers in every city (v. 36). Barnabas wanted to take Mark along; Paul did not think it a good idea to take “someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and didn’t go with them to do the work” (v. 38). “Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other” (v. 39). The two men the council’s letter had named together as “our beloved Barnabas and Paul” (Acts 15:25) went separate ways by the end of the same chapter.
Two roads. “Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus” (v. 39); Paul chose Silas and “went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies” (v. 41). The passage records where each of the two men went. It does not say who was right and who was wrong.
Who was Mark? Paul mentions him in the greetings of one of his letters: “Mark the cousin of Barnabas” (Col 4:10).
Many years later, Paul wrote to Timothy: “Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service” (2 Tim 4:11).
Both of these are Paul’s own words in his letters. Acts does not record what happened in between. They are simply set here, and we do not fill in the story between them for the passage.
Perhaps you too once had a friend you worked alongside, and then over one matter you disagreed and each went your own way.
This lesson does not tell you who was right in that matter, and it does not promise that the two of you will come back together. What it shows you is this: even Paul and Barnabas, the two the council’s letter called “our beloved Barnabas and Paul” (Acts 15:25), could have a sharp contention and part ways; and after they parted, each went on: Barnabas to Cyprus, Paul to strengthen the assemblies (Acts 15:39–41). Paul later wrote, “If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men” (Rom 12:18).
This week: Think of someone you have drifted apart from. Pray for them once this week, asking God to bless what they are doing now — without first having to settle who was right back then.
Scripture: World English Bible.