This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in Acts 15:36-41, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once there were two good friends named Paul and Barnabas. They traveled together to many different cities, telling people about the wonderful things God had done. One day, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the people we met before, to see how they are doing.” Barnabas agreed, but he wanted to bring along another friend named John Mark.
But Paul didn’t want John Mark to come with them because he had left them before and didn’t finish the work they had started. Paul thought it would be better to leave John Mark behind. This made Barnabas very upset, and they argued about it a lot. Unfortunately, they could not agree, and they decided to go their separate ways.
Barnabas took John Mark and sailed to Cyprus, and Paul chose a new friend named Silas to go with him. Paul and Silas went to many cities, and they helped make the churches there stronger. Even though Paul and Barnabas had to go separate ways, they still loved God and kept doing His work.
Biblical Lessons
- Sometimes good friends disagree, but we should still love and respect each other.
- It’s important to finish the work we start and be reliable.
- Even when things don’t go as planned, God can still use us for His purposes.
Related Stories
Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice
Must-Read Christian Books
Mere Christianity
Lewis lays out the core beliefs of the Christian faith with clarity, logic, and imagination, rooted in Scripture.
View on Amazon
Desiring God
Piper unpacks "Christian Hedonism": that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, grounded in Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Cost of Discipleship
A penetrating look at Jesus' call to follow Him, contrasting cheap grace with true, costly discipleship.
View on Amazon
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
Practical, biblical guidance on disciplines like prayer, Bible intake, worship, and fasting to grow in godliness.
View on Amazon
The Cross of Christ
A profound exploration of the meaning and power of the cross at the center of Christian faith and life.
View on Amazon
The Holiness of God
Sproul unfolds the blazing holiness of God and why a right fear of the Lord is vital to true worship.
View on Amazon
Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands
Biblical counseling and discipleship that helps believers speak God's truth into one another's lives.
View on Amazon
Living the Cross-Centered Life
A call to keep Christ's cross at the center of our thinking, worship, and daily living.
View on Amazon
According to Plan
An introduction to biblical theology that shows how all Scripture points to Christ.
View on Amazon
Trusting God
Encourages believers to trust God's sovereignty, wisdom, and love in every circumstance.
View on Amazon
Spurgeon on the Christian Life
A portrait of Charles Spurgeon's Christ-centered theology and joyful piety.
View on Amazon
Expository Listening
Teaches Christians how to listen to expository preaching in a way that bears fruit.
View on Amazon
Biblical Preaching
Introduces the "big idea" approach to expository sermons, rooted in the biblical text.
View on Amazon
Worship Matters
Helps worship leaders and churches keep the gospel central in congregational worship.
View on Amazon
The Gospel Comes with a House Key
A call to radical, everyday hospitality as a means of gospel witness and discipleship.
View on Amazon
Gentle and Lowly
Meditates on Christ's heart for sinners and sufferers from key biblical texts.
View on Amazon
The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment
Teaches believers how to distinguish truth from error using Scripture.
View on Amazon
Idols of the Heart
Helps believers identify and repent of heart-idols through the lens of Scripture.
View on Amazon