Acts 15

1 And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.3 They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them.5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.7 And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.8 And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;9 and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.10 Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.12 And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me:14 Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16 After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up:

17 That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,

18 Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.

19 Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God;20 but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.21 For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:23 and they wrote thus by them, The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:24 Forasmuch as we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment;25 it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,26 men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:29 that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.30 So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.32 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.33 And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth.34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there.35 But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.36 And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare.37 And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark.38 But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.39 And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus;40 but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

Acts 15

The Jerusalem Council

1 Now some men came down from Judeas and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcisedss according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”2 When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debatet with them, the churcht appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet witht the apostles and elders in Jerusalems about this point of disagreement.t3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicias and Samaria, they were relating at lengtht the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joyt to all the brothers.4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were receivedt by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reportedt all the things God had done with them.t

5 But some from the religious party of the Phariseess who had believed stood up and said, “It is necessarys to circumcise the Gentilest and to order them to observet the law of Moses.”
6 Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberatet about this matter.7 After there had been much debate,t Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time agot God choses me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the messaget of the gospelt and believe.t8 And God, who knows the heart,s has testifiedt to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,s9 and he made no distinctiont between them and us, cleansingt their hearts by faith.10 So now why are you putting God to the testt by placing on the neck of the disciples a yokes that neither our ancestorst nor we have been able to bear?

11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved throught the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are.”ts
12 The whole group kept quiett and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signst and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.13 After they stopped speaking,t James replied,t “Brothers, listen to me.14 Simeons has explainedt how God first concerned himselft to selectt from among the Gentiless a people for his name.

15 Thet words of the prophets agrees with this, as it is written,

16 ‘After thistIswill return,
and I will rebuild the fallen tenttof David;
I will rebuild its ruins and restoretit,

17 o that the rest of humanitytmay seek the Lord,
namely,tall the GentilestsI have called to be my own,’tsays the Lord,swho makes these thing

18 knownsfrom long ago.s
19 “Therefore I concludet that we should not cause extra difficultyt for those among the Gentilest who are turning to God,20 but that we should write them a lettert telling them to abstaints from things defiledt by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangleds and from blood.

21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times,t because he is read aloudt in the synagoguess every Sabbath.”
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decidedt to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas,s leaders among the brothers, to Antiochss with Paul and Barnabas.

23 They sent this letter with them:t
From the apostlest and elders, your brothers,t to the Gentile brothers and sisterst in Antioch,s Syria,t and Cilicia, greetings!24 Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confusedt you, upsettingt your mindst by what they said,t25 we have unanimouslyt decidedt to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,26 whot have risked their livest for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.t27 Therefore we are sendingt Judas and Silass who will tell you these things themselves in person.t28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to ust not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules:t

29 that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idolst and from blood and from what has been strangledss and from sexual immorality.s If you keep yourselves from doing these things,t you will do well. Farewell.t
30 So when they were dismissed,t they went down to Antioch,s and after gathering the entire groupt together, they delivered the letter.31 When they read it aloud,t the peoplet rejoiced at its encouragement.t32 Both Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long speech.t33 Aftert they had spent some time there,t they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.ss

35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch,s teaching and proclaiming (along with many others)s the word of the Lord.s

Paul and Barnabas Part Company

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s returnt and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lordt to see how they are doing.”t37 Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too,38 but Paul insistedt that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylias and had not accompanied them in the work.39 They hadt a sharp disagreement,t so that they parted company. Barnabas took alongt Mark and sailed away to Cyprus,s40 but Paul chose Silas and set out, commendedt to the grace of the Lord by the brothers and sisters.t

41 He passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthenings the churches.