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ACTS 15
Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently.
Finally, the church decided to send Paul and
Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some
local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent
the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped
along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit
the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being
converted.
4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas
and Paul were welcomed by the whole church,
including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them.
5 But then some of the believers who belonged to
the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted,
“The Gentile converts must be circumcised and
required to follow the law of Moses.”
6 So the apostles and elders met together to
resolve this issue. 7 At the meeting, after a long
discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as
follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose
me from among you some time ago to preach to
the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good
News and believe. 8 God knows people’s hearts,
and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by
giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
9 He made no distinction between us and them,
for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So
why are you now challenging God by burdening
the Gentile believers* with a yoke that neither
we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We
believe that we are all saved the same way, by
the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”
12 Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and
Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the
Gentiles.
13 When they had finished, James stood and
said, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Peter* has told
you about the time God first visited the Gentiles
to take from them a people for himself. 15 And
this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the
prophets predicted. As it is written:
16
17
18
‘Afterward I will return
and restore the fallen house* of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and restore it,
so that the rest of humanity might seek
the Lord,
including the Gentiles—
all those I have called to be mine.
The Lord has spoken—
he who made these things known
so long ago.’*
19 “And so my judgment is that we should
not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are
turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write and
tell them to abstain from eating food offered to
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idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the
meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. 21 For these laws of Moses have been
preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on
every Sabbath for many generations.”
The Letter for Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and elders together with the
whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and
they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and
Barnabas to report on this decision. The men
chosen were two of the church leaders*—Judas
(also called Barsabbas) and Silas. 23 This is the
letter they took with them:
“This letter is from the apostles and elders,
your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to
the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and
Cilicia. Greetings!
24 “We understand that some men from
here have troubled you and upset you
with their teaching, but we did not send
them! 25 So we decided, having come to
complete agreement, to send you official
representatives, along with our beloved
Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked
their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 27 We are sending Judas and Silas
to confirm what we have decided
concerning your question.
28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit
and to us to lay no greater burden on
you than these few requirements: 29 You
must abstain from eating food offered to
idols, from consuming blood or the meat
of strangled animals, and from sexual
immorality. If you do this, you will do
well. Farewell.”
30 The messengers went at once to Antioch,
where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. 31 And there was
great joy throughout the church that day as they
read this encouraging message.
32 Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets,
spoke at length to the believers, encouraging
and strengthening their faith. 33 They stayed for
a while, and then the believers sent them back
to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of
peace.* 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch.
They and many others taught and preached the
word of the Lord there.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s
go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see
how the new believers are doing.” 37 Barnabas
agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.
15:10 Greek disciples. 15:14 Greek Simeon. 15:16 Or
kingdom; Greek reads tent. 15:16-18 Amos 9:11-12 (Greek
version); Isa 45:21. 15:22 Greek were leaders among the
brothers. 15:33 Some manuscripts add verse 34, But Silas
decided to stay there.