Acts 16:1-5

The beginning of Paul's acquaintance with Timothy Acts 16:1-5: When Paul traveled to Derbe and Lystra he met a disciple named Timotheus or Timothy. Later Paul wrote two New Testament books to this great servant of God. In these letter Paul addressed him as a young man. "Let no man despise thy youth." (1 Timothy 4:12) Timothy was a man of piety with great ability for service in God's kingdom.

Paul had Timothy circumcised, not as a matter of Law, but as a matter of expediency to help in their work. He did this because the "Jews would neither have heard him preach, nor would have any connection with him, had he been otherwise."

As Paul and Silas went from place to place they delivered the letter expressing the judgments of the brethren from the Jerusalem meeting concerning circumcision for Gentiles. The work of the missionary team and the letter from Jerusalem resulted in churches being made strong in the faith and increasing in number daily.