Πραξεις 15
1 και τινες κατελθοντες απο της ιουδαιας εδιδασκον τους αδελφους οτι εαν μη περιτεμνησθε τω εθει μωυσεως ου δυνασθε σωθηναι
But certain persons came down from Judea, and began to teach the Lord’s followers that, unless they were circumcised, in accordance with the custom required by Moses, they could not be saved.
2 γενομενης ουν στασεως και συζητησεως ουκ ολιγης τω παυλω και τω βαρναβα προς αυτους εταξαν αναβαινειν παυλον και βαρναβαν και τινας αλλους εξ αυτων προς τους αποστολους και πρεσβυτερους εις ιερουσαλημ περι του ζητηματος τουτου
This gave rise to a serious dispute, and much discussion, between Paul and Barnabas and these people, and it was therefore settled that Paul and Barnabas and others of their number should go up to Jerusalem, to consult the apostles and church elders about the matter under discussion.
3 οι μεν ουν προπεμφθεντες υπο της εκκλησιας διηρχοντο την φοινικην και σαμαρειαν εκδιηγουμενοι την επιστροφην των εθνων και εποιουν χαραν μεγαλην πασιν τοις αδελφοις
The church, therefore, sent them on their journey, and they made their way through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling the story of the conversion of the Gentiles, to the great joy of all the followers.
4 παραγενομενοι δε εις ιερουσαλημ απεδεχθησαν υπο της εκκλησιας και των αποστολων και των πρεσβυτερων ανηγγειλαν τε οσα ο θεος εποιησεν μετ αυτων
On their arrival at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, as well as by the apostles and the elders, and gave an account of all that God had helped them to do.
5 εξανεστησαν δε τινες των απο της αιρεσεως των φαρισαιων πεπιστευκοτες λεγοντες οτι δει περιτεμνειν αυτους παραγγελλειν τε τηρειν τον νομον μωυσεως
Some of the Pharisees’ party, however, who had become believers in Christ, came forward and declared that they were bound to circumcise converts and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.
6 συνηχθησαν δε οι αποστολοι και οι πρεσβυτεροι ιδειν περι του λογου τουτου
The apostles and the church elders held a meeting to consider this question.
7 πολλης δε συζητησεως γενομενης αναστας πετρος ειπεν προς αυτους ανδρες αδελφοι υμεις επιστασθε οτι αφ ημερων αρχαιων ο θεος εν ημιν εξελεξατο δια του στοματος μου ακουσαι τα εθνη τον λογον του ευαγγελιου και πιστευσαι
After much discussion, Peter rose and said: “You, my friends, know well that long ago God singled me out – that through my lips the Gentiles should hear the message of the good news, and become believers in Christ.
8 και ο καρδιογνωστης θεος εμαρτυρησεν αυτοις δους αυτοις το πνευμα το αγιον καθως και ημιν
Now God, who reads all hearts, declared his acceptance of the Gentiles, by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
9 και ουδεν διεκρινεν μεταξυ ημων τε και αυτων τη πιστει καθαρισας τας καρδιας αυτων
He made no distinction between them and us, when he purified their hearts by their faith.
10 νυν ουν τι πειραζετε τον θεον επιθειναι ζυγον επι τον τραχηλον των μαθητων ον ουτε οι πατερες ημων ουτε ημεις ισχυσαμεν βαστασαι
Why, then, do you now provoke God, by putting on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our ancestors nor we were able to bear?
11 αλλα δια της χαριτος κυριου ιησου χριστου πιστευομεν σωθηναι καθ ον τροπον κακεινοι
No, it is through the loving kindness of the Lord Jesus that we, just as they do, believe that we have been saved.”
12 εσιγησεν δε παν το πληθος και ηκουον βαρναβα και παυλου εξηγουμενων οσα εποιησεν ο θεος σημεια και τερατα εν τοις εθνεσιν δι αυτων
Every voice in the assembly was hushed, as they listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they gave an account of all the signs and wonders which God had shown among the Gentiles through them.
13 μετα δε το σιγησαι αυτους απεκριθη ιακωβος λεγων ανδρες αδελφοι ακουσατε μου
After they had finished speaking, James addressed the Council. “Friends,” he began, “hear what I have to say.
14 συμεων εξηγησατο καθως πρωτον ο θεος επεσκεψατο λαβειν εξ εθνων λαον επι τω ονοματι αυτου
Simon has described the manner in which God first visited the Gentiles, in order to take from among them a people to bear his name.
15 και τουτω συμφωνουσιν οι λογοι των προφητων καθως γεγραπται
And that is in harmony with the words of the prophets, where they say –
16 μετα ταυτα αναστρεψω και ανοικοδομησω την σκηνην δαβιδ την πεπτωκυιαν και τα κατεσκαμμενα αυτης ανοικοδομησω και ανορθωσω αυτην
‘After this I will return; and I will rebuild the house of David which has fallen – its ruins I will rebuild, and will set it up once more;
17 οπως αν εκζητησωσιν οι καταλοιποι των ανθρωπων τον κυριον και παντα τα εθνη εφ ους επικεκληται το ονομα μου επ αυτους λεγει κυριος ο ποιων ταυτα παντα
that so the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord – even all the Gentiles on whom my name has been bestowed,
says the Lord, as he does these things, known from long ago.’ (aiōn g165)
19 διο εγω κρινω μη παρενοχλειν τοις απο των εθνων επιστρεφουσιν επι τον θεον
In my judgment, therefore, we should not add to the difficulties of those Gentiles who are turning to God,
20 αλλα επιστειλαι αυτοις του απεχεσθαι απο των αλισγηματων των ειδωλων και της πορνειας και του πνικτου και του αιματος
but we should write to them to abstain from food that has been polluted by being sacrificed to idols, from impurity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood.
21 μωσης γαρ εκ γενεων αρχαιων κατα πολιν τους κηρυσσοντας αυτον εχει εν ταις συναγωγαις κατα παν σαββατον αναγινωσκομενος
For in every town, for generations past, there have been those who preach Moses, read as he is in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
22 τοτε εδοξεν τοις αποστολοις και τοις πρεσβυτεροις συν ολη τη εκκλησια εκλεξαμενους ανδρας εξ αυτων πεμψαι εις αντιοχειαν συν τω παυλω και βαρναβα ιουδαν τον επικαλουμενον βαρσαβαν και σιλαν ανδρας ηγουμενους εν τοις αδελφοις
It was then decided by the apostles and the elders, with the assent of the whole church, to choose some of their number, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Those chosen were Judas (called Barsabas) and Silas, who were leaders among the community.
23 γραψαντες δια χειρος αυτων ταδε οι αποστολοι και οι πρεσβυτεροι και οι αδελφοι τοις κατα την αντιοχειαν και συριαν και κιλικιαν αδελφοις τοις εξ εθνων χαιρειν
They were bearers of the following letter – ‘The apostles, and the followers who are the church elders, send their greetings to the followers of the Lord of Gentile birth in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
24 επειδη ηκουσαμεν οτι τινες εξ ημων εξελθοντες εταραξαν υμας λογοις ανασκευαζοντες τας ψυχας υμων λεγοντες περιτεμνεσθαι και τηρειν τον νομον οις ου διεστειλαμεθα
As we had heard that some of our number had upset you by their assertions, and unsettled your minds – without instructions from us –
25 εδοξεν ημιν γενομενοις ομοθυμαδον εκλεξαμενους ανδρας πεμψαι προς υμας συν τοις αγαπητοις ημων βαρναβα και παυλω
We met and decided to choose certain men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,
26 ανθρωποις παραδεδωκοσιν τας ψυχας αυτων υπερ του ονοματος του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου
who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
27 απεσταλκαμεν ουν ιουδαν και σιλαν και αυτους δια λογου απαγγελλοντας τα αυτα
We are accordingly sending Judas and Silas, and they will tell you by word of mouth what we are now writing.
28 εδοξεν γαρ τω αγιω πνευματι και ημιν μηδεν πλεον επιτιθεσθαι υμιν βαρος πλην των επαναγκες τουτων
We have, therefore, decided, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to lay no further burden on you beyond these necessary conditions –
29 απεχεσθαι ειδωλοθυτων και αιματος και πνικτου και πορνειας εξ ων διατηρουντες εαυτους ευ πραξετε ερρωσθε
That you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from impurity. If you guard yourselves against such things, it will be well with you. Farewell.’
30 οι μεν ουν απολυθεντες ηλθον εις αντιοχειαν και συναγαγοντες το πληθος επεδωκαν την επιστολην
So the bearers of this letter were sent on their way, and went down to Antioch. There they called a meeting of all the followers,
31 αναγνοντες δε εχαρησαν επι τη παρακλησει
and delivered the letter, the reading of which caused great rejoicing by its encouraging contents.
32 ιουδας δε και σιλας και αυτοι προφηται οντες δια λογου πολλου παρεκαλεσαν τους αδελφους και επεστηριξαν
Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, further encouraged the them by many an address, and strengthened their faith.
33 ποιησαντες δε χρονον απελυθησαν μετ ειρηνης απο των αδελφων προς τους αποστολους
After some stay, they were dismissed with kind farewells from the followers, and returned to those who had sent them.
34 εδοξεν δε τω σιλα επιμειναι αυτου
35 παυλος δε και βαρναβας διετριβον εν αντιοχεια διδασκοντες και ευαγγελιζομενοι μετα και ετερων πολλων τον λογον του κυριου
Paul and Barnabas, however, remained in Antioch, where they taught and, with the help of many others, told the good news of the Lord’s message.
36 μετα δε τινας ημερας ειπεν παυλος προς βαρναβαν επιστρεψαντες δη επισκεψωμεθα τους αδελφους ημων κατα πασαν πολιν εν αις κατηγγειλαμεν τον λογον του κυριου πως εχουσιν
Some time after this, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the Lord’s followers in every town in which we have told the Lord’s message, and see how they are prospering.”
37 βαρναβας δε εβουλευσατο συμπαραλαβειν τον ιωαννην τον καλουμενον μαρκον
Barnabas wished to take with them John, whose other name was Mark;
38 παυλος δε ηξιου τον αποσταντα απ αυτων απο παμφυλιας και μη συνελθοντα αυτοις εις το εργον μη συμπαραλαβειν τουτον
but Paul felt that they ought not to take with them the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with them to their work.
39 εγενετο ουν παροξυσμος ωστε αποχωρισθηναι αυτους απ αλληλων τον τε βαρναβαν παραλαβοντα τον μαρκον εκπλευσαι εις κυπρον
This caused such unpleasant feeling between them that they parted ways, Barnabas taking Mark and sailing for Cyprus,
40 παυλος δε επιλεξαμενος σιλαν εξηλθεν παραδοθεις τη χαριτι του θεου υπο των αδελφων
while Paul chose Silas for his companion and, after he had been committed by the followers to the gracious care of the Lord,
41 διηρχετο δε την συριαν και κιλικιαν επιστηριζων τας εκκλησιας
started on his journey and went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches in the faith.
