Acts 15

The Jerusalem Council

1 # ver. 24 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching #ver. 3, 22, 23, 36, 40; See John 21:23 the brothers, “Unless you are #ver. 5; Gal. 5:2; [1 Cor. 7:18; Gal. 2:11, 14] circumcised #ch. 6:14; Lev. 12:3according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and #ver. 7 debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and #[Gal. 2:1, 2] some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to #ver. 4, 6, 22, 23; ch. 16:4; See ch. 5:12; 11:30the apostles and the elders about this question. 3So, #ch. 21:5; Rom. 15:24; 1 Cor. 16:6, 11; 2 Cor. 1:16; Titus 3:13; 3 John 6; [ch. 17:15] being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, #See ch. 14:27 describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and #ch. 11:18 brought great joy to all #ver. 1the brothers.#15:3 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 22 4#[ch. 21:17] When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and #ver. 2 the apostles and the elders, and #[See ver. 3 above]they declared all that God had done with them. 5But some believers who belonged to #See ch. 24:5 the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, #ver. 1 “It is necessary #Gal. 5:3to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

6 # [ver. 12, 25] The #[See ver. 4 above]apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7And after there had been much #ver. 2 debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, #ch. 10:20 that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear #[Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5; 1 Thess. 1:5] the word of #ch. 20:24the gospel and believe. 8And God, #ch. 1:24 who knows the heart, #ch. 14:3 bore witness to them, #ch. 10:44, 47; 11:15, 17; [ver. 28; Gal. 3:2]by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9and #ch. 11:12; Rom. 3:22-24; Eph. 3:6; [ch. 10:28, 34] he made no distinction between us and them, #Ps. 51:10; [ch. 26:18; 2 Cor. 7:1; 1 Pet. 1:22] having cleansed their hearts #See ch. 10:43by faith. 10Now, therefore, why #Ps. 106:14; Isa. 7:12 are you putting God to the test #Gal. 5:1; [ver. 28] by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples #[Matt. 11:28; 23:4; Luke 11:46]that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we #[ch. 16:31] believe that we will be #Eph. 2:5, 8; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 2:11; 3:7; [Rom. 3:24; 1 Thess. 5:9] saved through #Rom. 5:15 the grace of the Lord Jesus, #[See ver. 9 above]just as they will.”

12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul #ver. 4; See ch. 14:27as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they finished speaking, #See ch. 12:17James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14#[ver. 7] Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them #[ch. 18:10; Deut. 7:6; Isa. 43:21; Rom. 9:24-26]a people for his name. 15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 # Cited from Amos 9:11, 12; [Jer. 12:15] “‘After this I will return,

and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;

I will rebuild its ruins,

and I will restore it,

17that the remnant#15:17 Or rest of mankind #[ch. 17:27] may seek the Lord,

and all the Gentiles #Isa. 43:7; Jer. 14:9; Dan. 9:19who are called by my name,

says the Lord, who makes these things 18#[Isa. 45:21]known from of old.’

19Therefore #[ver. 28] my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who #See ch. 14:15turn to God, 20but should write to them #ch. 21:25 to abstain from #[ver. 29; Ezek. 4:13, 14; Dan. 1:8; Mal. 1:7, 12] the things polluted by idols, and from #1 Cor. 10:7, 8; Rev. 2:14, 20; See 1 Cor. 6:18 sexual immorality, and from #See Lev. 3:17what has been strangled, and from #See Lev. 3:17blood. 21For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, #ch. 13:15; 2 Cor. 3:14, 15; [ch. 13:27]for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

22Then it seemed good to #ver. 2 the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called #[ch. 1:23] Barsabbas, and #See 1 Pet. 5:12 Silas, leading men among #ver. 1the brothers, 23with the following letter: #[See ver. 22 above] “The brothers, both #[See ver. 22 above] the apostles and the elders, to the brothers#15:23 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 32, 33, 36 who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, #ch. 23:26; James 1:1; [2 John 10, 11]greetings. 24Since we have heard that #ver. 1; [Gal. 2:4; 5:12; Titus 1:10] some persons have gone out from us and #Gal. 1:7; 5:10troubled you#15:24 Some manuscripts some persons from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25it has seemed good to us, having come #See ch. 1:14 to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our #[2 Pet. 3:15]beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26#ch. 9:23-25; 14:19 men who have #[ch. 20:24; 21:13; 2 Cor. 4:11; 1 John 3:16]risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27We have therefore sent #ver. 22, 32Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28For it has seemed good #[ver. 8; ch. 5:32; John 16:13; 1 Cor. 7:40] to the Holy Spirit and #[ver. 19] to us #[ver. 10; Rev. 2:24]to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29#See ver. 20 that you abstain from #ch. 21:25; 1 Cor. 8:1, 4, 7, 10; 10:19; Rev. 2:14, 20what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

30So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32And Judas and Silas, who were themselves #See ch. 13:1 prophets, encouraged and #See ch. 14:22 strengthened #ver. 1the brothers with many words. 33And after they had spent some time, they were sent off #Gen. 26:29; Heb. 11:31; [1 Cor. 16:11] in peace by #[See ver. 32 above]the brothers to those who had sent them.#15:33 Some manuscripts insert verse 34: But it seemed good to Silas to remain there 35But #ch. 13:1Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Paul and Barnabas Separate

36And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit #[See ver. 32 above] the brothers #ch. 13:4, 13, 14, 51; 14:6, 24, 25in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them #See ch. 12:12John called Mark. 38But Paul thought best not to take with them one #ch. 13:13who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39And there arose #[ch. 17:16 (Gk.)] a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. #[Col. 4:10]Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and departed, #ch. 14:26 having been commended by #ver. 1 the brothers to #ver. 11; [ch. 11:23]; See Rom. 16:20the grace of the Lord. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, #ver. 32; ch. 16:5strengthening the churches.

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