Apostelgeschichte 15
1 Es kamen etliche herab von Judäa und wollten die Brüder lehren: Wenn ihr euch nicht nach dem Gesetz Moses beschneiden lasset, so könnt ihr nicht selig werden.
[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}.”
2 Da sich nun nicht geringe Unruhe erhob, und Paulus und Barnabas mit ihnen in Streit gerieten, beschloß man, Paulus und Barnabas und einige andere aus ihrer Mitte wegen dieser Streitfrage an die Apostel und Ältesten nach Jerusalem abzuordnen.
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.
3 Die Gemeinde gab ihnen das Geleit, und sie zogen durch Phönizien und Samarien, erzählten von der Bekehrung der Heiden und erregten große Freude bei allen Brüdern.
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.
4 Als sie nach Jerusalem kamen, wurden sie von der Gemeinde und den Aposteln und Ältesten empfangen und verkündeten, wie viel Gott mit ihnen ausgerichtet habe.
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].
5 Da traten etliche auf von der Sekte der Pharisäer, die gläubig geworden waren, und sagten: Man muß sie beschneiden und ihnen anbefehlen, Mose Gesetz zu halten.
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.”
6 Die Apostel und Ältesten aber traten nun zusammen, um die Sache in Betrachtung zu nehmen.
Then the apostles and [the other] elders met together in order to talk about this matter.
7 Da nun viel darüber gestritten wurde, trat Petrus auf und sprach zu ihnen: Männer, Brüder, ihr wißt, daß vor längerer Zeit Gott unter uns verordnet hat, daß durch meinen Mund die Heiden das Wort des Evangeliums hören und gläubig werden sollten.
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].
8 Und Gott, der Herzenskündiger, zeugte für sie, indem Er ihnen, wie uns, den Heiligen Geist gegeben hat.
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].
9 Und hat nicht zwischen uns und ihnen unterschieden, indem Er durch den Glauben ihre Herzen gereinigt hat.
[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].
10 Was versucht ihr nun Gott, daß ihr dem Nacken der Jünger ein Joch wollt auflegen, das weder unsere Väter noch wir zu tragen vermochten.
[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]!
11 Vielmehr glauben wir, daß wir durch die Gnade des Herrn Jesus, so wie jene, selig werden.
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.”
12 Da schwieg die ganze Versammlung und hörte, wie Barnabas und Paulus erzählten, wie viel Zeichen und Wunder Gott durch sie unter den Heiden getan hatte.
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].
13 Nachdem sie ausgeredet hatten, hob Jakobus an: Männer, Brüder, hört mir zu.
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.
14 Simon hat erzählt, wie es Gott zuerst gefallen hat, aus den Heiden ein Volk auf Seinen Namen anzunehmen.
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].
15 Auch stimmen damit überein die Worte der Propheten, wie denn geschrieben steht:
[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:
16 Danach will Ich wiederkommen und aufbauen das zerfallene Zelt Davids und will seine Trümmer wieder aufbauen und dasselbe aufrichten;
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.
17 Auf daß die übrigen Menschen den Herrn suchen, sowie alle die Völkerschaften, die nach Meinem Namen werden genannt werden.
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].
I [caused my people to know about them] long ago.” (aiōn g165)
19 Darum halte ich dafür, daß man denen aus der Heidenwelt, die sich zu Gott bekehren, keine Beschwerde mache;
[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.
20 Sondern ihnen schreibe, sie sollten sich der Befleckungen der Götzenmahle, der Hurerei, des Erstickten und des Blutes enthalten.
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].
21 Denn Moses hat von alten Zeiten her in jeder Stadt solche, die ihn verkündigen und wird an jedem Sabbath in den Synagogen gelesen.
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].”
22 Hierauf fanden die Apostel und die Ältesten samt der ganzen Gemeinde für gut, aus ihrer Mitte Männer zu wählen und sie mit Paulus und Barnabas nach Antiochia zu senden, nämlich Judas, mit dem Zunamen Barsabas, und Silas, Männer, die bei den Brüdern in Ansehen standen.
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].
23 Und schrieben ihnen durch sie also: Die Apostel und die Ältesten und die Brüder entbieten den Brüdern aus dem Heidentum in Antiochia, Syrien und Cilicien ihren Gruß.
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].
24 Weil wir gehört haben, daß etliche der Unseren hinausgingen und euch in Unruhe versetzten und mit Lehren eure Gemüter verwirrten und sagten: Ihr müßtet euch beschneiden lassen und das Gesetz halten, ohne daß wir ihnen Auftrag gegeben,
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.
25 Hat es uns gut gedünkt, einmütig versammelt, Männer zu erwählen und an euch zu senden mit unseren Geliebten Barnabas und Paulus;
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.
26 Männer, die dem Namen unseres Herrn Jesus Christus ihr Leben geweiht haben.
Those two have put their lives in danger because of their [serving] our Lord [MTY] Jesus Christ.
27 So haben wir nun Judas und Silas abgesandt, die auch mündlich dasselbe verkündigen.
We [(exc) have also chosen] Judas and Silas to go to you. They will tell you the same things [that we are writing].
28 Denn es hat dem Heiligen Geist und uns gefallen, euch keine weitere Bürde aufzulegen, als nur die drei notwendigen Stücke:
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,
29 Daß ihr euch enthaltet der Götzenmahle, des Blutes, des Erstickten und der Hurerei. Wenn ihr euch deren enthaltet, so wird es euch wohlergehen. Gehabt euch wohl!
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.”
30 Als diese abgefertigt waren, kamen sie nach Antiochia, versammelten die Menge und übergaben den Brief.
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.
31 Als sie solchen lasen, freuten sie sich über den Trost.
When the believers there read the letter, they rejoiced, [because its message] encouraged them.
32 Judas und Silas, die selbst Propheten waren, ermahnten die Brüder mit vielen Reden und bestärkten sie.
[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].
33 Als sie eine Zeitlang dort sich aufgehalten, wurden sie von den Brüdern mit Segenswünschen entlassen an die Apostel.
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].
34 Silas zog vor, dort zu bleiben.
35 Paulus aber und Barnabas verweilten in Antiochia, lehrten und predigten samt vielen anderen das Wort des Herrn.
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].
36 Nach einiger Zeit sagte Paulus zu Barnabas: Wir wollen umkehren und von Stadt zu Stadt, wo wir das Wort des Herrn verkündigt haben, nachsehen, wie es um die Brüder steht.
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].”
37 Barnabas aber war Rats, sie sollten auch Johannes, mit dem Zunamen Markus, mit sich nehmen.
Barnabas [agreed with Paul, and said that he] wanted to take John, whose other name was Mark, along with them [again].
38 Paulus aber achtete es für besser, ihn, der in Pamphylien von ihnen gewichen und nicht mit ihnen zum Werke gezogen, nicht mitzunehmen.
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.
39 Sie gerieten scharf aneinander, also, daß sie sich voneinander trennten, und Barnabas Markus zu sich nahm und nach Zypern schiffte.
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.
40 Paulus aber wählte Silas und zog aus, von den Brüdern der Gnade Gottes empfohlen.
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].
41 Er nahm seinen Weg durch Syrien und Cilicien und bestärkte die Gemeinden.
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].
