< Acts 15 >

1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and taught the brothers, saying, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
And certain men came down from Judea, and taught the brethren, saying: Unless you be circumcised, according to the custom of Moses, you can not be saved.
2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into a sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas along with some others from among them were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders about this question.
Therefore, after Paul and Barnabas had no little dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from among them, should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
3 They therefore, being sent by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria and announced the conversion of the Gentiles. They brought great joy to all the brothers.
Being, therefore, con ducted on their journey by the church, they passed through Phenicia and Samaria, making known the conversion of the Gentiles; and they gave great joy to all the brethren.
4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all the things that God had done with them.
When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and the apostles and elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.
5 But certain men who believed, who belonged to the group of Pharisees, stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
But some of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, arose, saying, that it was necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6 So the apostles and the elders gathered together to consider this matter.
And the apostles and elders came together to deliberate about this matter.
7 After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
And after there had been much disputing, Peter arose, and said to them: Brethren, you know that, at the beginning, God made choice among us, that, by my mouth, the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe.
8 God, who knows the heart, witnesses to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us;
And God, who knows the heart, became a witness for them, by giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it also to us;
9 and he made no distinction between us and them, making their hearts clean by faith.
and he made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why do you test God, that you should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Now, therefore, why do you put God to the proof, by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we ourselves, were able to bear?
11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they were.”
But we believe that we shall be saved, even as they, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
12 All the multitude kept silent while they listened to Barnabas and Paul report the signs and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them.
Then all the multitude kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they made known what signs and wonders God had done by them among the Gentiles.
13 After they stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brothers, listen to me.
And after they were silent, James answered and said: Brethren, hear me;
14 Simon has told how God first graciously helped the Gentiles in order to take from them a people for his name.
Simeon has declared how God, at the first, did visit the Gentiles, in order to take out from among them a people for his name.
15 The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written,
And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16 'After these things I will return, and I will build again the tent of David, which has fallen down; I will set up and restore its ruins again,
After this I will return, and build again the tabernacle of David which has fallen down; and I will build again its ruins, and I will set it up;
17 so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, including all the Gentiles called by my name.'
that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name has been called, says the Lord, who does all these things.
18 This is what the Lord says, who has done these things that have been known from ancient times. (aiōn g165)
Known to God from eternity are all bis works. (aiōn g165)
19 Therefore, my opinion is, that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God.
For these reasons, my judgment is, that we give no trouble to those who, from among the Gentiles, have turned to God;
20 But we will write to them that they must keep away from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, and from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
but that we write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from lewdness, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from the ancient times and he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
For, from ancient times, Moses has, in every city, those who preach him, being read in the synagogue every sabbath-day.
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leaders of the church, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
Then it pleased the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to send to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, chosen men from among themselves; Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren;
23 They wrote this: “From the apostles and elders, your brothers, to the Gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings!
and they wrote by their hands as follows: The apostles, and the elders, and the brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:
24 We have heard that certain men have gone out from us, with no orders from us, and have disturbed you with teachings that upset your souls.
Inasmuch as we have heard that certain persons went out from us and troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, That you must be circumcised, and keep the law, to whom we gave no commandment,
25 This being so, all of us have agreed to choose men and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
it has seemed good to us, having come together with one mind, to send chosen men to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
men who have endangered their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same thing themselves in their own words.
We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same things in word.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, blood, things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, it shall be well with you. Farewell.”
That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from lewdness; from which if you keep yourselves carefully, you will do well. Farewell.
30 So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; after they gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.
So when these men were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and having assembled the multitude, they delivered this letter.
31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of the encouragement.
When they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation which it gave.
32 Judas and Silas, also prophets, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them.
And Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and strengthened them.
33 After they had spent some time there, they were sent away in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.
And after spending some time, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren, to those who had sent them.
But it pleased Silas to remain there.
35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch along with many others, where they taught and proclaimed the word of the Lord.
Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching, with many others, the word of the Lord.
36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return now and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
And, after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, let us return, and visit our brethren in every city in which we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
37 Barnabas wanted to also take with them John who was called Mark.
And Barnabas determined to take with him John, whose surname was Mark.
38 But Paul thought it was not good to take Mark, who had left them in Pamphylia and did not go further with them in the work.
But Paul did not think it proper to take with them him who had departed from them from Pamphylia, and did not go with them to the work.
39 Then there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
There was, therefore, a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other: and Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus.
40 But Paul chose Silas and left, after he was entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
But Paul chose Silas, and departed, having been commended to the grace of God by the brethren.
41 Then he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
And he passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

< Acts 15 >