Strengthening the Churches

Paul and Silas went north to Syria and Cilicia to visit the churches that Paul had established before going to serve in Antioch. Then he came to Derbe and Lystra, where he gained a new co-worker named Timothy. Timothy�䏭 mother was a Jew but his father was a Greek. In order to avoid disagreement from the Jews who kept the law, Paul circumcised him, and took him along on his missionary journey. So Paul, Silas, and Timothy went through the cities. They delivered to the churches the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. The churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily (Acts 16:1��5).