Chapter 15

The Council at Jerusalem

1 aSome men came down from Judea and began teaching bthe brethren, “Unless you are ccircumcised according to dthe custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

2 And when Paul and Barnabas had 1great dissension and adebate with them, bthe brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the capostles and elders concerning this issue.

3 Therefore, being asent on their way by the church, they were passing through both bPhoenicia and Samaria, cdescribing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all dthe brethren.

4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and athe apostles and the elders, and they breported all that God had done with them.

5 But some of athe sect of the bPharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to ccircumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

6 aThe apostles and the elders came together to 1look into this 2matter.

7 After there had been much adebate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that 1in the early days bGod made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of cthe gospel and believe.

8 “And God, awho knows the heart, testified to them bgiving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

9 and aHe made no distinction between us and them, bcleansing their hearts by faith.

10 “Now therefore why do you aput God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which bneither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

11 “But we believe that we are saved through athe grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were arelating what bsigns and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’s Judgment

13 After they had stopped speaking, 1aJames answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me.

14 “aSimeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.

15 “With this the words of athe Prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 ‘aAfter these things bI will return,

And I will rebuild the 1tabernacle of David which has fallen,

And I will rebuild its ruins,

And I will restore it,

17 aSo that the rest of 1mankind may seek the Lord,

And all the Gentiles 2bwho are called by My name,’

18 aSays the Lord, who 1bmakes these things known from long ago.

19 “Therefore it is amy judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

20 but that we write to them that they abstain from 1athings contaminated by idols and from bfornication and from cwhat is strangled and from blood.

21 “For aMoses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since 1he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

22 Then it seemed good to athe apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to bAntioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and cSilas, leading men among dthe brethren,

23 and they 1sent this letter by them,

“aThe apostles and the brethren who are elders, to bthe brethren in cAntioch and dSyria and eCilicia who are from the Gentiles, fgreetings.

24 “Since we have heard that asome 1of our number to whom we gave no instruction have bdisturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,

25 ait seemed good to us, having 1become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 men who have 1arisked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 “Therefore we have sent aJudas and bSilas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

28 “For ait seemed good to bthe Holy Spirit and to cus to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

29 that you abstain from athings sacrificed to idols and from ablood and from athings strangled and from afornication; 1if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

30 So when they were sent away, athey went down to Antioch; and having gathered the 1congregation together, they delivered the letter.

31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its 1encouragement.

32 aJudas and bSilas, also being cprophets themselves, 1encouraged and strengthened dthe brethren with a lengthy message.

33 After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren ain peace to those who had bsent them out.

34 [1But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.]

35 But aPaul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and bpreaching with many others also, cthe word of the Lord.

Second Missionary Journey

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in aevery city in which we proclaimed bthe word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

37 Barnabas wanted to take aJohn, called Mark, along with them also.

38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had adeserted them 1in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took aMark with him and sailed away to bCyprus.

40 But Paul chose aSilas and left, being bcommitted by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

41 And he was traveling through aSyria and bCilicia, strengthening the churches.