Acts 15:3

And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

And being brought on their way (or 'escorted') by the church - in token of respect, and to mark the importance attached to this journey,

They passed through Phenice and Samaria - along the great Roman road which followed the coast line from north to south, a road even yet not quite obliterated;

Declaring (to the Christians of those parts) the conversion of the Gentiles. We have seen that some of the scattered disciples "traveled as far as Phenice and Cyprus, preaching to none but unto the Jews only" (see the note at ). Here we have the fruits of their labour in those parts. Those in Phenicia would seem to have belonged, chiefly at least, to Tyre (Acts 21:3) and Sidon (). And they caused great joy unto all the brethren. If these converts were from among "the Jews only," they must have had more enlarged views of Christianity than the zealots of Judea; but perhaps a Gentile element may have helped to liberalize them.

On reaching Jerusalem, the Antiochene deputies are received by the whole church, and Paul and Barnabas relate their missionary proceedings-The zealots having insisted that the Gentile converts should be circumcised, the apostles and elders hold a Council to decide the question (15:4-6)