Acts 15
1 And certain having come down from Judea, were teaching the brothers, “If you are not circumcised after the custom of Moses, you are not able to be saved”;
Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 there having been, therefore, not a little dissension and debate to Paul and Barnabas with them, they arranged for Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, to go up to the apostles and elders to Jerusalem about this question;
And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
3 they indeed, then, having been sent forward by the assembly, were passing through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations, and they were causing great joy to all the brothers.
Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.
4 And having come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly, and the apostles, and the elders; they also declared as many things as God did with them;
On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
5 and there rose up certain of those of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, “It is required to circumcise them, to command them also to keep the Law of Moses.”
But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
6 And there were gathered together the apostles and the elders, to see about this matter,
So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.
7 and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said to them, “Men, brothers, you know that from former days God made choice among us, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe;
After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
8 and the heart-knowing God bore them testimony, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us,
And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
9 and also put no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith;
He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
10 now, therefore, why do you tempt God, to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
11 But through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, even as also they.”
On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12 And all the multitude kept silence and were listening to Barnabas and Paul expounding as many signs and wonders as God did among the nations through them;
The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
13 and after they were silent, James answered, saying, “Men, brothers, listen to me:
When they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to me!
14 Simeon expounded how at first God looked on [us] to take a people out of [the] nations for His Name,
Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own.
15 and to this the words of the Prophets agree, as it has been written:
The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16 After these things I will return, And I will rebuild the dwelling place of David that has fallen down, And I will rebuild its ruins, And will set it upright—
‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
17 That the remnant of men may seek after the LORD, And all the nations on whom My Name has been called, Says the LORD, who is doing all these things.
so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things
that have been known for ages.’ (aiōn g165)
19 For this reason I judge: not to trouble those who turn back to God from the nations,
It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
20 but to write to them to abstain from the defilements of the idols, and the whoredom, and the strangled thing, and the blood;
Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
21 for Moses has those preaching him from former generations in every city—being read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas chosen men out of themselves—Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers—
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
23 having written through their hand thus: “The apostles, and the elders, and the brothers, to those in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia, brothers, who [are] of the nations, greeting;
and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24 seeing we have heard that some having gone forth from us troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying to be circumcised and to keep the Law, to whom we gave no charge,
It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
25 it seemed good to us, having come together with one accord, to send to you chosen men, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul—
So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 men who have given up their lives for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ—
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 we have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, and they are telling the same things by word.
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no more burden on you, except these necessary things:
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:
29 to abstain from things offered to idols, and blood, and a strangled thing, and whoredom; keeping yourselves from which, you will do well; be strong!”
You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
30 They then, indeed, having been let go, went to Antioch, and having brought the multitude together, delivered the letter,
So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.
31 and having read [it] they rejoiced for the consolation;
When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.
32 Judas also and Silas, also being prophets themselves, through much discourse exhorted the brothers, and confirmed,
Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
33 and having passed some time, they were let go with peace from the brothers to the apostles;
After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers in peace to return to those who had sent them.
34 [[and it seemed good to Silas to remain there still.]]
35 And Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming good news—with many others also—the word of the LORD;
But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
36 and after certain days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Having turned back again, we may look after our brothers, in every city in which we have preached the word of the LORD—how they are.”
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
37 And Barnabas resolved to take with [them] John called Mark,
Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
38 and Paul was not thinking it good to take him with them who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and did not go with them to the work;
But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.
39 there came, therefore, a sharp contention, so that they were parted from one another, and Barnabas having taken Mark, sailed to Cyprus,
Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
40 and Paul having chosen Silas, went forth, having been given up to the grace of God by the brothers;
but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
41 and he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the assemblies.
And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
