Acts 15:2–30

²After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue.^{a 3}When they had been sent on their way by the church,^b they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers and sisters.

⁴When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.^{c 5}But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL

⁶The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. ⁷After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you,^B that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. ⁸And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us.^{d 9}He made no distinction between us and them,^e cleansing their hearts by faith.^{f 10}Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks^g that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace^h of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”

¹²The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.^{i 13}After they stopped speaking, James responded, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴Simeon^A has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name.^{j 15}And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:

¹⁶After these things I will return

and rebuild David’s fallen tent.

I will rebuild its ruins

and set it up again,

¹⁷so that the rest of humanity

may seek the Lord—

even all the Gentiles

who are called by my name—

declares the Lord

who makes these things ¹⁸known from long ago.^BCk

¹⁹Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality,^l from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. ²¹For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”^m

THE LETTER TO THE GENTILE BELIEVERS

²²Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,ⁿ both leading men among the brothers. ²³They wrote:

“From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,

To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:^o

Greetings.

²⁴Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us^p and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,^{Dq 25}we have unanimously^r decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶who have risked their lives^s for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements:^{t 29}that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.^u You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.

Farewell.”

THE OUTCOME OF THE JERUSALEM LETTER

³⁰So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter.