more travels and some disagreements

Good morning everyone,
The council in Jerusalem doesn't just send a letter to the gentile believers to encourage and welcome them. They also send Paul and Barnabas along with representatives from Jerusalem: Silas and Judas. It's great to see the enthusiasm with which the word of welcome is received. After some time in Antioch Paul and Barnabas decide to continue the journey to encourage other churches as well.

Unfortunately, the two disagree on who should go with them. In the end Paul takes Silas with him while Barnabas and John/Mark go there own way. We don't know a lot about why John/Mark had left Paul and Barnabas earlier. What we know comes from Acts 13:13 which just says that John returned to Jerusalem. It's interesting that these simple sentences could refer to conflicts that were at that point pretty significant. The good news is that both Paul and Barnabas continue their ministries, though now apart. In the maps the travels beginning with today's reading is called Paul's second missionary journey.

May God bless you in your journey today,
Sam

Acts 15:30-41
30So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31When its members read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. 32Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33After they had been there for some time, they were sent off in peace by the believers to those who had sent them. 35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, and there, with many others, they taught and proclaimed the word of the Lord.

36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. 39The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.