Acts 15
1 [Then] some [Jewish] believers went down from Judea [province] to Antioch. They started teaching the [non-Jewish] believers [there, and said], “[You] ([must] be circumcised/must have God’s mark put on you) [to indicate you belong to God], as Moses [commanded] in the laws that [he received from God]. If you do not do that, you will not be saved {[God] will not save you}.”
And some coming down from Judea, taught the brethren: That except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.
2 Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed with those Jews and started arguing [with them. So the believers at Antioch] appointed Paul and Barnabas and some of the other believers to go to Jerusalem, in order that they would/could discuss this matter with the apostles and [other spiritual] leaders.
And when Paul and Barnabas had no small contest with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of the other side, should go up to the apostles and priests to Jerusalem about this question.
3 After Paul, Barnabas, and the others were given things for their trip by the congregation [at Antioch] {After the congregation [at Antioch] gave Paul, Barnabas, and the others things for their trip}, they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria [provinces. When they stopped at different places in those provinces], they reported [to the believers] that [many] non-Jews [in Antioch] had become believers. As a result, all the believers [in those places] rejoiced greatly.
They therefore being brought on their way by the church, passed through Phenice, and Samaria, relating the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.
4 And when Paul, Barnabas, and the others arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the apostles, the [other] elders, and the [other members of the] congregation [there] {the apostles, the [other] elders, and the [other members of the] congregation [there] welcomed them}. Then Paul and Barnabas reported the things that God had enabled them to do [among non-Jewish people].
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and by the apostles and ancients, declaring how great things God had done with them.
5 But some of the [Jewish] believers who belonged to the Pharisee sect stood up [among the other believers and] said to them, “The non-Jews [who have believed in Jesus] must be circumcised, and they must be told to obey the laws [that God gave to] Moses.”
But there arose some of the sect of the Pharisees that believed, saying: They must be circumcised, and be commanded to observe the law of Moses.
6 Then the apostles and [the other] elders met together in order to talk about this matter.
And the apostles and ancients assembled to consider of this matter.
7 After they had discussed it for a long time, Peter stood up and spoke to them. He said, “Fellow believers, you [all] know that a long time ago God chose me from among you [other apostles, in order that] the non-Jewish people might [also] hear me [SYN] tell [them] the good message [about the Lord Jesus], so that they could hear [it] and believe [in him. So Paul and Barnabas are not the first ones to tell non-Jews about Jesus].
And when there had been much disputing, Peter, rising up, said to them: Men, brethren, you know, that in former days God made choice among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 God knows [and judges] people according to what they think, [not according to who their ancestors were]. By sending the Holy Spirit to [the non-Jews], just like [he had] also done for us [(inc)] Jews, he showed [me and others] that he had accepted them [also to be his people].
And God, who knoweth the hearts, gave testimony, giving unto them the Holy Ghost, as well as to us;
9 [God] saved us [Jews] and those [non-Jews] similarly, making them clean spiritually simply as a result of their believing [in the Lord Jesus. That was exactly how he has forgiven us].
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 [You are wanting to force the non-Jewish believers to obey our Jewish rituals and laws]—laws that God has shown that he does not require them to obey [MET]. [Your doing that is like] putting a heavy burden on them! So then, (stop making God angry by doing that!/why are you making God angry by doing that?) [RHQ] Our ancestors and we [(inc) Jews] have never been able to bear [the burden of obeying those laws]!
Now therefore, why tempt you God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
11 But we [(inc) know that it is not because] we [(inc) try to obey those laws that God saves us(inc) Jews. On the contrary], we [(inc)] know that it is because of what the Lord Jesus did for us [(inc)] that we did not deserve that we [(inc)] are saved {that [God] saves us} [from the guilt of our sins. God saves non-Jews who believe in the Lord Jesus] exactly like [he saves] us Jews.”
But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, in like manner as they also.
12 All the people [there] became silent [after Peter had spoken]. Then they [all] listened to Barnabas and Paul, [as the two of] them told about the many great miracles that God had enabled them to do among the non-Jewish people, [miracles that showed that God had accepted the non-Jews].
And all the multitude held their peace; and they heard Barnabas and Paul telling what great signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13 When Barnabas and Paul had finished speaking, James, [the leader of the group of believers there in Jerusalem], spoke to all of them. [He said], “Fellow believers, listen to me.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying: Men, brethren, hear me.
14 Simon [Peter] has told you how God previously blessed the non-Jews. God did that by choosing from among them a people who would belong to him [MTY].
Simon hath related how God first visited to take of the Gentiles a people to his name.
15 [These] words that [God spoke], words that were written by [one of] the prophets {that one of the prophets wrote} [long ago], agree with that:
And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written:
16 Later on I will return and I will re-establish the kingdom [MET] that David [ruled] and that has been {that [people] have} destroyed. My [doing that will be like] rebuilding [a house] that has been {that [people] have} torn down.
After these things I will return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and the ruins thereof I will rebuild, and I will set it up:
17 I will do that in order that all other people might seek [me], the Lord [God. I will do that in order that] all the non-Jews whom I have called [to belong] to me [MTY] might seek me. [You can be certain that this will happen because I] the Lord [God], who will do those things, have spoken [these words].
That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all nations upon whom my name is invoked, saith the Lord, who doth these things.
To the Lord was his own work known from the beginning of the world. (aiōn g165)
19 [James continued by saying], “Therefore I have decided [that we(inc)] should stop bothering the non-Jewish people who are turning [away from their sins and turning] to God. [That is, we should stop demanding that they obey] all [our laws] and rituals.
For which cause I judge that they, who from among the Gentiles are converted to God, are not to be disquieted.
20 Instead, we should write [a letter] to them [requiring only four things: They should] not eat [meat/food that people] have offered to idols, they should not have sex with someone to whom they are not married, they should not [eat meat from animals that have been killed by] being strangled {[people have strangled]}, and [they should not eat] the blood [of animals].
But that we write unto them, that they refrain themselves from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21 In many cities, for a very long time people have been proclaiming [the laws that] Moses [wrote] [MTY], [laws prohibiting those things]. And every (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest) [those laws] are read {someone reads [those laws]} in the Jewish meeting places. [So if the non-Jews want to know more about those laws, they can find out in our meeting houses].”
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him in the synagogues, where he is read every sabbath.
22 The apostles and the [other] elders, along with all the [other] members of the congregation, accepted [what James had said]. Then they decided that they should choose men from among themselves and that they should send them, along with Paul and Barnabas, to Antioch, to [let the believers there know what the leaders] at Jerusalem had decided. So they chose Judas, who was also called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leaders among the believers [at Jerusalem].
Then it pleased the apostles and ancients, with the whole church, to choose men of their own company, and to send to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.
23 Then they wrote the following letter [that they asked Judas and Silas to take to the believers at Antioch]: “[We(exc)] apostles and [other] leaders who are your fellow believers [send our greetings to you as we write this to you] non-Jewish believers [who live] in Antioch and [other places in] Syria and Cilicia [provinces].
Writing by their hands: The apostles and ancients, brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles that are at Antioch, and in Syria and Cilicia, greeting.
24 People have told us that some men from among us went [to you], although we had not told [them to do that]. They troubled/distressed you [SYN] [by telling you things] that confused your thinking.
Forasmuch as we have heard, that some going out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment:
25 So [while we(exc) met together here], we decided to choose some men and ask them to go to you, along with Barnabas and Paul, whom we [(exc)] love very much.
It hath seemed good to us, being assembled together, to choose out men, and to send them unto you, with our well beloved Barnabas and Paul:
26 Those two have put their lives in danger because of their [serving] our Lord [MTY] Jesus Christ.
Men that have given their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We [(exc) have also chosen] Judas and Silas to go to you. They will tell you the same things [that we are writing].
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also will, by word of mouth, tell you the same things.
28 The Holy Spirit and [also] we decided that you should not be required {that we should not require you} to obey a lot of burdensome [Jewish] laws. Instead, [we] only [require you to obey] the following instructions,
For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay no further burden upon you than these necessary things:
29 You should not eat food that people have sacrificed to idols. You should not eat blood from animals, and you should not eat meat from animals that people have killed by strangling them. Also, you should not have sex with someone to whom you are not married. Those things [especially offend Jewish believers. So if] you avoid doing them, you will be doing what is right. That is all.”
That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which things keeping yourselves, you shall do well. Fare ye well.
30 The [four] men whom [they] had chosen went [from Jerusalem] to Antioch [city. When] all the believers [there] had assembled together, [Judas and Silas] gave the letter to them.
They therefore being dismissed, went down to Antioch; and gathering together the multitude, delivered the epistle.
31 When the believers there read the letter, they rejoiced, [because its message] encouraged them.
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32 [Just like Paul and Barnabas were] ([prophets/men who spoke messages from God]), Judas and Silas were also prophets. They spoke for a long time and encouraged the believers [there], and helped them to trust more strongly [in the Lord Jesus].
But Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, with many words comforted the brethren, and confirmed them.
33 After [Judas and Silas] had stayed in Antioch for some time [and were ready to return to Jerusalem], the believers [there] wished them well, and the believers [prayed that God] would protect [them as they traveled. So the two men] started to go back to the leaders [in Jerusalem] who had asked them to go [to Antioch].
And after they had spent some time there, they were let go with peace by the brethren, unto them that had sent them.
But it seemed good unto Silas to remain there; and Judas alone departed to Jerusalem.
35 However, Paul and Barnabas continued to stay in Antioch. [While they were there], they, along with many others, were teaching [people] and preaching to them the message about the Lord [Jesus].
And Paul and Barnabas continued at Antioch, teaching and preaching, with many others, the word of the Lord.
36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the fellow believers in every city where we [previously] proclaimed the message about the Lord [Jesus. In that way, we will know] how [well] they are continuing [to believe in the Lord Jesus].”
And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas: Let us return and visit our brethren in all the cities wherein we have preached the word of the Lord, to see how they do.
37 Barnabas [agreed with Paul, and said that he] wanted to take John, whose other name was Mark, along with them [again].
And Barnabas would have taken with them John also, that was surnamed Mark;
38 However, Paul [told Barnabas that he] thought that it would not be good to take Mark [with them, because] Mark had deserted them when they were previously in Pamphylia [region], and had not continued to work with them.
But Paul desired that he (as having departed from them out of Pamphylia, and not gone with them to the work) might not be received.
39 Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed [with each other about that], so they separated. Barnabas took Mark [along with him and they got] on a ship and went to Cyprus.
And there arose a dissension, so that they departed one from another; and Barnabas indeed taking Mark, sailed to Cyprus.
40 Paul chose Silas, [who had returned to Antioch, to work with him]. The believers [there] asked the Lord [God] to graciously help [Paul and Silas. Then] the two of them departed [from Antioch].
But Paul choosing Silas, departed, being delivered by the brethren to the grace of God.
41 Paul continued traveling [with Silas] through Syria and Cilicia [provinces]. In those places he was helping the congregations to trust strongly [in the Lord Jesus].
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches, commanding them to keep the precepts of the apostles and the ancients.
