and they sent the following letter by them:

And so we have met together and have all agreed to choose some messengers and send them to you. They will go with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

We ourselves, then, will give our full time to prayer and the work of preaching."

The whole group was pleased with the apostles' proposal, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a Gentile from Antioch who had earlier been converted to Judaism.

They took note of this and were pleased. Indeed, everything the king did pleased the people.

The king and the people were pleased with their plan,

God was also at work in Judah and united the people in their determination to obey his will by following the commands of the king and his officials.

We send you, then, Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things we are writing.

The apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the word of God, so they sent Peter and John to them.

The news about this reached the church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

So they proposed two men: Joseph, who was called Barsabbas (also known as Justus), and Matthias.

We send you, then, Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things we are writing.

Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, spoke a long time with them, giving them courage and strength.

while Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the care of the Lord's grace.

When her owners realized that their chance of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities in the public square.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

The jailer called for a light, rushed in, and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas.

Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas; so did many of the leading women and a large group of Greeks who worshiped God.

As soon as night came, the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived, they went to the synagogue.

At once the believers sent Paul away to the coast; but both Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea.

When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul gave his whole time to preaching the message, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.

From Paul, Silas, and Timothy--- To the people of the church in Thessalonica, who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be yours.

From Paul, Silas, and Timothy--- To the people of the church in Thessalonica, who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

I write you this brief letter with the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful Christian. I want to encourage you and give my testimony that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.