After his encounter with the resurrected (and ascended) Jesus on the road to Damascus, after Ananias healed his blindness, after he was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit, Saul (also known as Paul) stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This man is the Son of God.”¹  This surprised a lot of people, especially those who had commissioned him to arrest any in Damascus who said such things.  But Saul became more and more capable, and was causing consternation² among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ,³ from the Hebrew scripture.

In other words, Saul publicly refuted the religious authorities with the source of their authority, the written words of God.  Those authorities wanted Saul dead.  With some help and a basket, Saul escaped from Damascus and set out for Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-30 NET).

When he⁴ arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted⁵ to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple.  But Barnabas took Saul, brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.  So he was staying with them, associating openly with them in⁶ Jerusalem, speaking⁷ out boldly in the name of the Lord.⁸  He was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him.  When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

Paul’s (Saul’s) own account of events adds some detail and shades the meaning of some of Luke’s (the author of Acts) account (Galatians 1:11-17 NET).

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.  For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ.  For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it.  I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, and was extremely zealous (ζηλωτής) for the traditions of my ancestors.  But when the one⁹ who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, but¹⁰ right away I departed to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus.

Saul, according to Paul, went into the desert before he stayed several days in Damascus.  Perhaps I am reading too much into the phrase right away I departed to Arabia, but I like the idea that Saul was not quite so capable to turn on a dime as Luke portrayed him.  I think he had some genuine confusion about what had transpired, and he went off alone into the desert to sort some things out with God.  I think Saul’s faith in the traditions of his ancestors was sincere, and that from Saul’s perspective Jesus blindsided him on the road to Damascus.

There was a clause in Acts 9:5 (Table) in the King James translation of the Bible.  Jesus said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (κέντρα, a form of κέντρον).  It gave me the impression that Jesus had tried many other more subtle means to reach Saul (the pricks or goads), but finally decided that enough was enough and appeared bodily to him.  This clause, however, has been removed from most contemporary translations of the Bible (See: Acts 26:14 NET).

Paul’s account of the early days of Saul’s conversion continued (Galatians 1:18-24 NET):

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas¹¹ and get information from him, and I stayed with him fifteen days.  But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.  I assure you that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you!  Afterward I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.  But I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.  They were only hearing, “The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith he once tried to destroy.”  So they glorified God because of me.

Luke’s account provides indirect confirmation of Paul’s account in that Saul was apparently not aware of the Jerusalem insider elites’ perspective that he was sent home to Tarsus to avoid more conflict with the religious authorities.  Be that as it may, after Saul was sent home, the church¹² throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced¹³ peace and thus was strengthened.¹⁴

When Stephen was stoned to death a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem.¹⁵  Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch [in Syria], speaking the message to no one but Jews.  But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene among them who came¹⁶ to Antioch and¹⁷ began to speak to the Greeks (Ἑλληνιστὰς, a form of Ἑλληνιστής) too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.¹⁸

According to Strong’s Concordance these Ἑλληνιστὰς (a form of Ἑλληνιστής) were also Jews.  According to the note (50) in the NET, “The statement that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene…began to speak to the Greeks shows that Peter’s experience of reaching out to the Gentiles was not unique.”  Whether they preached to Gentiles or Jews who lived like Gentiles, The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who¹⁹ believed turned to the Lord.²⁰

The leaders in Jerusalem heard about it and sent Barnabas to Antioch.  Barnabas witnessed what was going on there, saw the grace of²¹ God…rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts.²²  Then Barnabas²³ departed for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him,²⁴ he brought him²⁵ to Antioch.  So for a²⁶ whole year Barnabas and Saul met with²⁷ the church and taught a significant number of people.²⁸

Later Barnabas and Saul were sent to Jerusalem with financial relief gathered in Antioch for an impending famine prophesied by a prophet named Agabus (Acts 11:27-30).  If one reads a Bible published before, say, the 1980’s Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem with John Mark.  But most Bibles published after that time read something like this (Acts 12:25 NET):

So Barnabas and Saul returned to²⁹ Jerusalem when they had completed (πληρώσαντες, a form of πληρόω) their mission (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία), bringing³⁰ along with them John Mark.

The note (85) explaining this change is in a footnote below.³¹  I’ll try to summarize and explain why I’m rejecting the change for the time being.  Different Greek manuscripts have different words here, primarily εἰς, ἀπό and ἐξ.  The translators’ quest to find the original by organizing texts in a presumed chronology of copyists’ errors is not unlike the study of evolutionary changes to the human genome. The people who do this obviously have a lot of faith in their methods.  My faith in this case leads me to reject their methods and stick with the more obvious meaning of the narrative.

I tried the idea that perhaps Luke meant that Barnabas and Saul did not leave for Jerusalem with the money they had collected until after they finished their first missionary journey.  But the mission (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία) they completed (πληρώσαντες, a form of πληρόω) in Acts 12:25 (NET) seems to have been the relief (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία) that was gathered in Acts 11:29 (NET), rather than the work (ἔργον) the Holy Spirit assigned them (Acts 13:2 NET) that became known as their first missionary journey.  And that journey ends in the narrative with, From there [Attalia] they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work (ἔργον) they had now completed (ἐπλήρωσαν, another form of πληρόω).³²  So I decided that Luke probably meant something more like what the Bible used to say.

I appreciate the footnote however.  It gave me the opportunity to make that decision with the Holy Spirit (unlike Acts 9:5 where an entire clause vanished without comment).  This is a decision I can live with when I give my account.³³  For the moment the opposite account (λόγον, a form of λόγος) sounds really shaky to me.  It goes something like this:  “Well, you see, there were these guys…Well, no, I didn’t know them.  They were guys, you see, guys that had a reputation for knowing this kind of stuff…Well, no, it didn’t make any sense to me, but these are the guys, man.  Ya’ gotta believe the guys, don’t ya’?”

So for my purposes here, I’ll stick with from Jerusalem even as I acknowledge that it is contrary to what the scripture says—currently.

After Barnabas and Saul returned from their relief mission to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas³⁴ and Saul³⁵ for the work (ἔργον) to which I have called them.”  Then, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them off.³⁶  Now they also had John as their assistant,³⁷ the man who returned with them from Jerusalem to Antioch.

 

 

Addendum: June 25, 2019
Tables comparing Acts 9:19; 9:22; 9:26; 9:28, 29; Galatians 1:15; 1:17, 18; Acts 9:31; 8:1; 11:20, 21; 11:23; 11:25, 26; 12:25 and 13:2 in the NET and KJV follow.

Acts 9:19 (NET)	Acts 9:19 (KJV)
and after taking some food, his strength returned.  For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus,	And when he had received meat, he was strengthened.  Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ λαβὼν τροφὴν |ἐνίσχυσεν|. Ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἐν Δαμασκῷ μαθητῶν ἡμέρας τινὰς	και λαβων τροφην ενισχυσεν εγενετο δε ο σαυλος μετα των εν δαμασκω μαθητων ημερας τινας	και λαβων τροφην ενισχυσεν εγενετο δε ο σαυλος μετα των εν δαμασκω μαθητων ημερας τινας

Acts 9:22 (NET)	Acts 9:22 (KJV)
But Saul became more and more capable, and was causing consternation among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.	But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Σαῦλος δὲ μᾶλλον ἐνεδυναμοῦτο καὶ συνέχυννεν [τοὺς] Ἰουδαίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν Δαμασκῷ συμβιβάζων ὅτι οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ χριστός	σαυλος δε μαλλον ενεδυναμουτο και συνεχυνεν τους ιουδαιους τους κατοικουντας εν δαμασκω συμβιβαζων οτι ουτος εστιν ο χριστος	σαυλος δε μαλλον ενεδυναμουτο και συνεχυνεν τους ιουδαιους τους κατοικουντας εν δαμασκω συμβιβαζων οτι ουτος εστιν ο χριστος

Acts 9:26 (NET)	Acts 9:26 (KJV)
When he arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple.	And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Παραγενόμενος δὲ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπείραζεν κολλᾶσθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς, καὶ πάντες ἐφοβοῦντο αὐτὸν μὴ πιστεύοντες ὅτι ἐστὶν μαθητής	παραγενομενος δε ο σαυλος εις ιερουσαλημ επειρατο κολλασθαι τοις μαθηταις και παντες εφοβουντο αυτον μη πιστευοντες οτι εστιν μαθητης	παραγενομενος δε ο σαυλος εν ιερουσαλημ επειρατο κολλασθαι τοις μαθηταις και παντες εφοβουντο αυτον μη πιστευοντες οτι εστιν μαθητης

Acts 9:28, 29 (NET)	Acts 9:28, 29 (KJV)
So he was staying with them, associating openly with them in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.	And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἦν μετ᾿ αὐτῶν εἰσπορευόμενος καὶ ἐκπορευόμενος εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ παρρησιαζόμενος ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου	και ην μετ αυτων εισπορευομενος και εκπορευομενος εν ιερουσαλημ	και ην μετ αυτων εισπορευομενος και εκπορευομενος εις ιερουσαλημ και παρρησιαζομενος εν τω ονοματι του κυριου ιησου

He was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him.

And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐλάλει τε καὶ συνεζήτει πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς, οἱ δὲ ἐπεχείρουν ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν	και παρρησιαζομενος εν τω ονοματι του κυριου ιησου ελαλει τε και συνεζητει προς τους ελληνιστας οι δε επεχειρουν αυτον ανελειν	ελαλει τε και συνεζητει προς τους ελληνιστας οι δε επεχειρουν αυτον ανελειν

Galatians 1:15 (NET)	Galatians 1:15 (KJV)
But when the one who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace was pleased	But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν  ὁ ἀφορίσας με ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου καὶ καλέσας διὰ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ	οτε δε ευδοκησεν ο θεος ο αφορισας με εκ κοιλιας μητρος μου και καλεσας δια της χαριτος αυτου	οτε δε ευδοκησεν ο θεος ο αφορισας με εκ κοιλιας μητρος μου και καλεσας δια της χαριτος αυτου

Galatians 1:17, 18 (NET)	Galatians 1:17, 18 (KJV)
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, but right away I departed to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus.	Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐδὲ ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πρὸς τοὺς πρὸ ἐμοῦ ἀποστόλους, ἀλλὰ ἀπῆλθον εἰς Ἀραβίαν καὶ πάλιν ὑπέστρεψα εἰς Δαμασκόν	ουδε ανηλθον εις ιεροσολυμα προς τους προ εμου αποστολους αλλ απηλθον εις αραβιαν και παλιν υπεστρεψα εις δαμασκον	ουδε ανηλθον εις ιεροσολυμα προς τους προ εμου αποστολους αλλα απηλθον εις αραβιαν και παλιν υπεστρεψα εις δαμασκον

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and get information from him, and I stayed with him fifteen days.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἔπειτα μετὰ  ἔτη |τρία| ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἱστορῆσαι Κηφᾶν καὶ ἐπέμεινα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡμέρας δεκαπέντε	επειτα μετα ετη τρια ανηλθον εις ιεροσολυμα ιστορησαι πετρον και επεμεινα προς αυτον ημερας δεκαπεντε	επειτα μετα ετη τρια ανηλθον εις ιεροσολυμα ιστορησαι πετρον και επεμεινα προς αυτον ημερας δεκαπεντε

Acts 9:31 (NET)	Acts 9:31 (KJV)
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced peace and thus was strengthened.  Living in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church increased in numbers.	Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐκκλησία καθ᾿ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Γαλιλαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας εἶχεν εἰρήνην οἰκοδομουμένη καὶ πορευομένη τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ τῇ παρακλήσει τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐπληθύνετο	αι μεν ουν εκκλησιαι καθ ολης της ιουδαιας και γαλιλαιας και σαμαρειας ειχον ειρηνην οικοδομουμεναι και πορευομεναι τω φοβω του κυριου και τη παρακλησει του αγιου πνευματος επληθυνοντο	αι μεν ουν εκκλησιαι καθ ολης της ιουδαιας και γαλιλαιας και σαμαρειας ειχον ειρηνην οικοδομουμεναι και πορευομεναι τω φοβω του κυριου και τη παρακλησει του αγιου πνευματος επληθυνοντο

Acts 8:1 (NET)	Acts 8:1 (KJV)
And Saul agreed completely with killing him.  Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.	And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αὐτοῦ. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, πάντες |δὲ| διεσπάρησαν κατὰ τὰς χώρας τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων	σαυλος δε ην συνευδοκων τη αναιρεσει αυτου εγενετο δε εν εκεινη τη ημερα διωγμος μεγας επι την εκκλησιαν την εν ιεροσολυμοις παντες τε διεσπαρησαν κατα τας χωρας της ιουδαιας και σαμαρειας πλην των αποστολων	σαυλος δε ην συνευδοκων τη αναιρεσει αυτου εγενετο δε εν εκεινη τη ημερα διωγμος μεγας επι την εκκλησιαν την εν ιεροσολυμοις παντες δε διεσπαρησαν κατα τας χωρας της ιουδαιας και σαμαρειας πλην των αποστολων

Acts 11:20, 21 (NET)	Acts 11:20, 21 (KJV)
But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene among them who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.	And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
῏Ησαν δέ τινες ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες Κύπριοι καὶ Κυρηναῖοι, οἵτινες ἐλθόντες εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν ἐλάλουν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστὰς εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν	ησαν δε τινες εξ αυτων ανδρες κυπριοι και κυρηναιοι οιτινες εισελθοντες εις αντιοχειαν ελαλουν προς τους ελληνιστας ευαγγελιζομενοι τον κυριον ιησουν	ησαν δε τινες εξ αυτων ανδρες κυπριοι και κυρηναιοι οιτινες εισελθοντες εις αντιοχειαν ελαλουν προς τους ελληνιστας ευαγγελιζομενοι τον κυριον ιησουν

The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἦν χεὶρ κυρίου μετ᾿ αὐτῶν, πολύς τε ἀριθμὸς ὁ πιστεύσας ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον	και ην χειρ κυριου μετ αυτων πολυς τε αριθμος πιστευσας επεστρεψεν επι τον κυριον	και ην χειρ κυριου μετ αυτων πολυς τε αριθμος πιστευσας επεστρεψεν επι τον κυριον

Acts 11:23 (NET)	Acts 11:23 (KJV)
When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts,	Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὃς παραγενόμενος καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν χάριν [τὴν] τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐχάρη καὶ παρεκάλει πάντας τῇ προθέσει τῆς καρδίας προσμένειν  τῷ κυρίῳ	ος παραγενομενος και ιδων την χαριν του θεου εχαρη και παρεκαλει παντας τη προθεσει της καρδιας προσμενειν τω κυριω	ος παραγενομενος και ιδων την χαριν του θεου εχαρη και παρεκαλει παντας τη προθεσει της καρδιας προσμενειν τω κυριω

Acts 11:25, 26 (NET)	Acts 11:25, 26 (KJV)
Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to look for Saul,	Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐξῆλθεν δὲ εἰς Ταρσὸν ἀναζητῆσαι Σαῦλον	εξηλθεν δε εις ταρσον ο βαρναβας αναζητησαι σαυλον	εξηλθεν δε εις ταρσον ο βαρναβας αναζητησαι σαυλον

and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch.  So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught a significant number of people.  Now it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch.  And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people.  And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ εὑρὼν ἤγαγεν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν. ἐγένετο δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐνιαυτὸν ὅλον συναχθῆναι ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ διδάξαι ὄχλον ἱκανόν, χρηματίσαι τε πρώτως ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ τοὺς μαθητὰς Χριστιανούς	και ευρων αυτον ηγαγεν αυτον εις αντιοχειαν εγενετο δε αυτους ενιαυτον ολον συναχθηναι εν τη εκκλησια και διδαξαι οχλον ικανον χρηματισαι τε πρωτον εν αντιοχεια τους μαθητας χριστιανους	και ευρων ηγαγεν αυτον εις αντιοχειαν εγενετο δε αυτους ενιαυτον ολον συναχθηναι τη εκκλησια και διδαξαι οχλον ικανον χρηματισαι τε πρωτον εν αντιοχεια τους μαθητας χριστιανους

Acts 12:25 (NET)	Acts 12:25 (KJV)
So Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing along with them John Mark.	And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Βαρναβᾶς δὲ καὶ Σαῦλος ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ πληρώσαντες τὴν διακονίαν, συμπαραλαβόντες Ἰωάννην τὸν ἐπικληθέντα Μᾶρκον	βαρναβας δε και σαυλος υπεστρεψαν εξ ιερουσαλημ πληρωσαντες την διακονιαν συμπαραλαβοντες και ιωαννην τον επικληθεντα μαρκον	βαρναβας δε και σαυλος υπεστρεψαν εις ιερουσαλημ πληρωσαντες την διακονιαν συμπαραλαβοντες και ιωαννην τον επικληθεντα μαρκον

Acts 13:2 (NET)	Acts 13:2 (KJV)
While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”	As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Λειτουργούντων δὲ αὐτῶν τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ νηστευόντων εἶπεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· ἀφορίσατε δή μοι τὸν Βαρναβᾶν καὶ Σαῦλον εἰς τὸ ἔργον ὃ προσκέκλημαι αὐτούς	λειτουργουντων δε αυτων τω κυριω και νηστευοντων ειπεν το πνευμα το αγιον αφορισατε δη μοι τον τε βαρναβαν και τον σαυλον εις το εργον ο προσκεκλημαι αυτους	λειτουργουντων δε αυτων τω κυριω και νηστευοντων ειπεν το πνευμα το αγιον αφορισατε δη μοι τον βαρναβαν και τον σαυλον εις το εργον ο προσκεκλημαι αυτους