Paul’s return trip to southern Galatia appears to have been much less eventful than his first visit. The only incident of any significance on which Luke comments is the addition of Timothy to the missionary team. Other than that, he remarks only that the decision of the council was delivered to the churches of this region and that they were growing in maturity and numbers. This section can be viewed as closing off Luke’s account of the council and, indeed, his whole narrative of the opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles that began in 13:1 (see also the disc. on 9:31).

16:1–3 Since the missionaries came from the east, the towns are named in reverse order from the previous visit: Derbe and Lystra (v. 1). The verb used in this connection (Gk. katantan) implies that they stayed for a …