Paul's First Missionary Journey & Jerusalem Council

Cities

Ports

Council locations

Outbound leg

Return leg

Jerusalem Council route

Antioch (Syria) (Acts 13:1–3)

The sending church — Barnabas and Saul are set apart by the Holy Spirit.

Antioch in Syria

As the church ministers to the Lord and fasts, the Holy Spirit says, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”

Paul returns here at the journey's end to report all that God had done (Acts 14:27).

Seleucia (Acts 13:4)

The port of Antioch, where they set sail for Cyprus.

Salamis (Acts 13:5)

On Cyprus, they proclaim the word in the synagogues of the Jews — the pattern Paul follows in city after city.

Paphos (Acts 13:6–12)

Paul confronts Elymas the sorcerer; the proconsul Sergius Paulus believes.

Paphos

From here on Acts calls him Paul — “Saul, who is also called Paul.” The sorcerer Bar-Jesus (Elymas) is struck blind for a season.

The Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus believes, “being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.”

Perga (Acts 13:13)

Landing in Pamphylia. Here John Mark leaves them and returns to Jerusalem.

Antioch (Pisidia) (Acts 13:14–52)

Paul preaches a sweeping synagogue sermon, then turns to the Gentiles.

Pisidian Antioch

Paul's sermon traces Israel's history to Jesus, quoting Psalm 2, Isaiah 55, and Psalm 16.

When opponents contradict him, Paul and Barnabas answer: “Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”

Iconium (Acts 14:1–7)

A great multitude of Jews and Greeks believe; a plot to stone them forces their escape.

Lystra (Acts 14:6–20)

A lame man is healed; Paul is stoned and left for dead.

Lystra

Paul heals a man lame from birth, and the crowd cries, “The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.”

Agitators from Antioch and Iconium stone Paul and drag him out of the city, “supposing that he was dead.” But “he rose up, and entered into the city.” Timothy, from this region, later recalls these sufferings (2 Timothy 3:11) and may have come to faith at this time.

Derbe (Acts 14:20–21)

The journey's far point. They preach the gospel and make many disciples.

Attalia (Acts 14:25–26)

The coastal port where they take ship for Antioch.

Jerusalem (Acts 15:1–29)

The Jerusalem Council decides that Gentile believers need not be circumcised.

The Jerusalem Council

The apostles and elders consider whether Gentile believers must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses.

• Peter recalls God giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles; James gives his judgment not to trouble the Gentiles who turn to God.
• The council's letter lays on them “no greater burden than these necessary things”: to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication.
• Silas and Judas Barsabbas are chosen to go back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.

Down to Seleucia

Sail to Cyprus — Salamis

Sail to the mainland — Perga

Back Through Lystra (Acts 14:21–22)

Retracing their steps, “confirming the souls of the disciples … that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.”

Back Through Iconium (Acts 14:21–23)

Strengthening the disciples in the city that had plotted against them.

Back Through Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 14:21–23)

They appoint elders in every church, commending them to the Lord with prayer and fasting.

Preaching in Perga (Acts 14:24–25)

Passing through Pisidia to Pamphylia, they speak the word in Perga.

Down to Attalia

Home to Antioch in Syria (Acts 14:26–28)

They rehearse “all things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles,” and stay there no little time.

Up to the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1–29)

Paul and Barnabas go up to Jerusalem about the question of circumcising Gentile believers.

The Letter Delivered at Antioch (Acts 15:30–35)

The church at Antioch rejoices at the council's letter; Judas and Silas exhort and strengthen the brethren.

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