Πραξεις 15
1 Καί τινες κατελθόντες ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ἐδίδασκον τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὅτι Ἐὰν μὴ περιτέμνησθε τῷ ἔθει Μωϋσέως, οὐ δύνασθε σωθῆναι.
Then some men arrived from Judea who started teaching the believers, “Unless you're circumcised according to the rules set down by Moses, you can't be saved.”
2 Γενομένης οὖν στάσεως καὶ ζητήσεως οὐκ ὀλίγης τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Βαρνάβᾳ πρὸς αὐτούς, ἔταξαν ἀναβαίνειν Παῦλον καὶ Βαρνάβαν καί τινας ἄλλους ἐξ αὐτῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ πρεσβυτέρους εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ περὶ τοῦ ζητήματος τούτου.
Paul and Barnabas had many arguments and debates with them. So Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go to Jerusalem and talk to the apostles and leaders there about this issue.
3 Οἱ μὲν οὖν, προπεμφθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, διήρχοντο τὴν Φοινίκην καὶ Σαμάρειαν, ἐκδιηγούμενοι τὴν ἐπιστροφὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν· καὶ ἐποίουν χαρὰν μεγάλην πᾶσι τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς.
The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they explained how foreigners were being converted, which made all the believers very happy.
4 Παραγενόμενοι δὲ εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἀπεδέχθησαν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ἀνήγγειλάν τε ὅσα ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησε μετ᾽ αὐτῶν.
When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church members, the apostles, and the elders. They explained everything God had done through them.
5 Ἐξανέστησαν δέ τινες τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς αἱρέσεως τῶν Φαρισαίων πεπιστευκότες, λέγοντες ὅτι Δεῖ περιτέμνειν αὐτούς, παραγγέλλειν τε τηρεῖν τὸν νόμον Μωϋσέως.
But they were opposed by some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee faction. They said, “These converts have to be circumcised, and instructed to observe the law of Moses.”
6 Συνήχθησαν δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ἰδεῖν περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου.
The apostles and elders met together to discuss the issue.
7 Πολλῆς δὲ συζητήσεως γενομένης, ἀναστὰς Πέτρος εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς, Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὅτι ἀφ᾽ ἡμερῶν ἀρχαίων ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν ἐξελέξατο, διὰ τοῦ στόματός μου ἀκοῦσαι τὰ ἔθνη τὸν λόγον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, καὶ πιστεῦσαι.
After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time ago God chose me from among you so that the foreigners could hear the message of good news and trust in Jesus.
8 Καὶ ὁ καρδιογνώστης Θεὸς ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτοῖς, δοὺς αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, καθὼς καὶ ἡμῖν·
God, who knows thewhat we're thinking, has shown that he accepts them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.
9 καὶ οὐδὲν διέκρινε μεταξὺ ἡμῶν τε καὶ αὐτῶν, τῇ πίστει καθαρίσας τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν.
He doesn't make any distinction between us and them—he cleansed their thoughts as they trusted in him.
10 Νῦν οὖν τί πειράζετε τὸν Θεόν, ἐπιθεῖναι ζυγὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον τῶν μαθητῶν, ὃν οὔτε οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν οὔτε ἡμεῖς ἰσχύσαμεν βαστάσαι;
So why do you want to oppose God and put a burden on the believers that our fathers weren't able to bear, and we can't either?
11 Ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ πιστεύομεν σωθῆναι, καθ᾽ ὃν τρόπον κἀκεῖνοι.
We're convinced that we're saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way they are.”
12 Ἐσίγησε δὲ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος, καὶ ἤκουον Βαρνάβα καὶ Παύλου ἐξηγουμένων ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι δι᾽ αὐτῶν.
Everyone listened attentively to Barnabas and Paul as they explained the miraculous signs that God had performed through them among the foreigners.
13 Μετὰ δὲ τὸ σιγῆσαι αὐτούς, ἀπεκρίθη Ἰάκωβος λέγων, Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἀκούσατέ μου·
After they had finished speaking, James spoke up, saying, “Brothers, listen to me.
14 Συμεὼν ἐξηγήσατο καθὼς πρῶτον ὁ Θεὸς ἐπεσκέψατο λαβεῖν ἐξ ἐθνῶν λαὸν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ.
Simon has described how God first revealed his concern for the foreigners by taking from them a people committed to him.
15 Καὶ τούτῳ συμφωνοῦσιν οἱ λόγοι τῶν προφητῶν, καθὼς γέγραπται,
This is in accordance with the words of the prophets, as it's written,
16 Μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναστρέψω, καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυὶδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν· καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀνοικοδομήσω, καὶ ἀνορθώσω αὐτήν·
‘In the future I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen house of David; I will rebuild its ruins and set it straight.
17 ὅπως ἂν ἐκζητήσωσιν οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸν Κύριον, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἐφ᾽ οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς, λέγει Κύριος ὁ ποιῶν ταῦτα πάντα.
I will do this so that those who are left may come to the Lord, including the foreigners who call on my name.
This is what the Lord says, who revealed these things long ago.’ (aiōn g165)
19 Διὸ ἐγὼ κρίνω μὴ παρενοχλεῖν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐπιστρέφουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν·
So my decision is that we shouldn't make it difficult for foreigners who turn to God.
20 ἀλλὰ ἐπιστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἀπέχεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλισγημάτων τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ τῆς πορνείας καὶ τοῦ πνικτοῦ καὶ τοῦ αἵματος.
We should write to them and tell them to avoid food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, meat of animals that have been strangled, and from consuming blood.
21 Μωϋσῆς γὰρ ἐκ γενεῶν ἀρχαίων κατὰ πόλιν τοὺς κηρύσσοντας αὐτὸν ἔχει, ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς κατὰ πᾶν σάββατον ἀναγινωσκόμενος.
For the law of Moses has been taught in every town for a long, long time—it's read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
22 Τότε ἔδοξε τοῖς ἀποστόλοις καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις σὺν ὅλῃ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἐκλεξαμένους ἄνδρας ἐξ αὐτῶν πέμψαι εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν σὺν Παύλῳ καὶ Βαρνάβᾳ, Ἰούδαν τὸν ἐπικαλούμενον Βαρσαββᾶν, καὶ Σίλαν, ἄνδρας ἡγουμένους ἐν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς,
Then the apostles and elders, together with the whole church, decided it would be good to choose some representatives and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas, leaders among the brothers,
23 γράψαντες διὰ χειρὸς αὐτῶν τάδε, Οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν καὶ Συρίαν καὶ Κιλικίαν ἀδελφοῖς τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν, χαίρειν·
and sent them with this letter: “Greetings from us, the apostles and elders and brothers, to the non-Jewish brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
24 ἐπειδὴ ἠκούσαμεν ὅτι τινὲς ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξελθόντες ἐτάραξαν ὑμᾶς λόγοις, ἀνασκευάζοντες τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν, λέγοντες περιτέμνεσθαι καὶ τηρεῖν τὸν νόμον, οἷς οὐ διεστειλάμεθα·
We have heard that some from our group have confused you with their teachings, causing you trouble. We certainly didn't tell them to do this!
25 ἔδοξεν ἡμῖν γενομένοις ὁμοθυμαδόν, ἐκλεξαμένους ἄνδρας πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, σὺν τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς ἡμῶν Βαρνάβᾳ καὶ Παύλῳ,
So we have agreed to choose some representatives and send them to you together with our much-loved brothers Barnabas and Paul,
26 ἀνθρώποις παραδεδωκόσι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Ἀπεστάλκαμεν οὖν Ἰούδαν καὶ Σίλαν, καὶ αὐτοὺς διὰ λόγου ἀπαγγέλλοντας τὰ αὐτά.
So we are sending to you Judas and Silas who can verbally confirm what we're saying.
28 Ἔδοξε γὰρ τῷ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, καὶ ἡμῖν, μηδὲν πλέον ἐπιτίθεσθαι ὑμῖν βάρος, πλὴν τῶν ἐπάναγκες τούτων,
It seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place on you any heavier burden than these important requirements.
29 ἀπέχεσθαι εἰδωλοθύτων καὶ αἵματος καὶ πνικτοῦ καὶ πορνείας· ἐξ ὧν διατηροῦντες ἑαυτούς, εὖ πράξετε. Ἔρρωσθε.
You should avoid: anything sacrificed to idols; blood; meat from strangled animals; and sexual immorality. You will do well to observe these requirements. God bless you.”
30 Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀπολυθέντες ἦλθον εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν· καὶ συναγαγόντες τὸ πλῆθος, ἐπέδωκαν τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
The men were sent on their way to Antioch. When they arrived they called everybody together and delivered the letter.
31 Ἀναγνόντες δέ, ἐχάρησαν ἐπὶ τῇ παρακλήσει.
After they had read it, the people were so happy for the encouraging message.
32 Ἰούδας τε καὶ Σίλας, καὶ αὐτοὶ προφῆται ὄντες, διὰ λόγου πολλοῦ παρεκάλεσαν τοὺς ἀδελφούς, καὶ ἐπεστήριξαν.
Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, encouraged the brothers, explaining many things, and strengthening them.
33 Ποιήσαντες δὲ χρόνον, ἀπελύθησαν μετ᾽ εἰρήνης ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους.
After spending some time there they were sent back by the brothers with their blessing to the believers in Jerusalem.
35 Παῦλος δὲ καὶ Βαρνάβας διέτριβον ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, διδάσκοντες καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι, μετὰ καὶ ἑτέρων πολλῶν, τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου.
But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of God along with many others.
36 Μετὰ δέ τινας ἡμέρας εἶπε Παῦλος πρὸς Βαρνάβαν, Ἐπιστρέψαντες δὴ ἐπισκεψώμεθα τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν, ἐν αἷς κατηγγείλαμεν τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου, πῶς ἔχουσι.
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let's go back and visit the believers in every town where we shared the word of the Lord, and see how they're doing.”
37 Βαρνάβας δὲ ἐβουλεύσατο συμπαραλαβεῖν τὸν Ἰωάννην, τὸν καλούμενον Μάρκον.
Barnabas planned to take along John Mark too.
38 Παῦλος δὲ ἠξίου, τὸν ἀποστάντα ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Παμφυλίας, καὶ μὴ συνελθόντα αὐτοῖς εἰς τὸ ἔργον, μὴ συμπαραλαβεῖν τοῦτον.
But Paul didn't think it was a good idea to take him with them, since he'd left them in Pamphylia and hadn't continued working with them.
39 Ἐγένετο οὖν παροξυσμός, ὥστε ἀποχωρισθῆναι αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων, τόν τε Βαρνάβαν παραλαβόντα τὸν Μάρκον ἐκπλεῦσαι εἰς Κύπρον·
They had such a strong disagreement that they separated. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus.
40 Παῦλος δὲ ἐπιλεξάμενος Σίλαν ἐξῆλθε, παραδοθεὶς τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν.
Paul chose Silas, and as they left, the believers committed them to the grace of the Lord.
41 Διήρχετο δὲ τὴν Συρίαν καὶ Κιλικίαν, ἐπιστηρίζων τὰς ἐκκλησίας.
Paul traveled through Syria and Cilicia, encouraging the churches there.
