< 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”;
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;
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.
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;
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.”
6 And there were gathered together the apostles and the elders, to see about 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;
8 and the heart-knowing God bore them testimony, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us,
9 and also put no difference between us and them, having purified 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?
11 But through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, even as also they.”
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;
13 and after they were silent, James answered, saying, “Men, 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,
15 and to this the words of the Prophets agree, as it has been 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—
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.
18 Known from the ages to God are all His works. (aiōn )
19 For this reason I judge: not to trouble those who turn back to God from the nations,
20 but to write to them to abstain from the defilements of the idols, and the whoredom, and the strangled thing, and the blood;
21 for Moses has those preaching him from former generations in every city—being read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
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—
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;
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,
25 it seemed good to us, having come together with one accord, to send to you chosen men, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul—
26 men who have given up 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.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no more burden on you, except these necessary things:
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!”
30 They then, indeed, having been let go, went to Antioch, and having brought the multitude together, delivered the letter,
31 and having read [it] they rejoiced for the consolation;
32 Judas also and Silas, also being prophets themselves, through much discourse exhorted the brothers, and confirmed,
33 and having passed some time, they were let go with peace from the brothers to the apostles;
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;
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.”
37 And Barnabas resolved to take with [them] John 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;
39 there came, therefore, a sharp contention, so that they were parted from one another, and Barnabas having taken Mark, sailed to Cyprus,
40 and Paul having chosen Silas, went forth, having been given up to the grace of God by the brothers;
41 and he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the assemblies.
