Acts 15

The Council at Jerusalem

11Some men came down from Judea and began teaching 2the brethren, “Unless you are 3circumcised according to 4the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2And when Paul and Barnabas had 5great dissension and 6debate with them, 7the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the 8apostles and elders concerning this issue. 3Therefore, being 9sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both 10Phoenicia and Samaria, 11describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all 12the brethren. 4When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and 13the apostles and the elders, and they 14reported all that God had done with them. 5But some of 15the sect of the 16Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to 17circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

618The apostles and the elders came together to 19look into this 20matter. 7After there had been much 21debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that 22in the early days 23God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of 24the gospel and believe. 8And God, 25who knows the heart, testified to them 26giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9and 27He made no distinction between us and them, 28cleansing their hearts by faith. 10Now therefore why do you 29put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which 30neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we are saved through 31the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

12All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were 32relating what 33signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’s Judgment

13After they had stopped speaking, 3435James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. 1436Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15With this the words of 37the Prophets agree, just as it is written,16‘38After these things 39I will return, And I will rebuild the 40tabernacle of David which has fallen, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it,1741So that the rest of 42mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles 4344who are called by My name,’1845Says the Lord, who 4647makes these things known from long ago. 19Therefore it is 48my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20but that we write to them that they abstain from 4950things contaminated by idols and from 51fornication and from 52what is strangled and from blood. 21For 53Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since 54he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

22Then it seemed good to 55the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to 56Antioch with Paul and Barnabas--Judas called Barsabbas, and 57Silas, leading men among 58the brethren, 23and they 59sent this letter by them, “60The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to 61the brethren in 62Antioch and 63Syria and 64Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, 65greetings. 24Since we have heard that 66some 67of our number to whom we gave no instruction have 68disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, 2569it seemed good to us, having 70become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26men who have 7172risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we have sent 73Judas and 74Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28For 75it seemed good to 76the Holy Spirit and to 77us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29that you abstain from 78things sacrificed to idols and from 79blood and from 80things strangled and from 81fornication; 82if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

30So when they were sent away, 83they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the 84congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its 85encouragement. 3286Judas and 87Silas, also being 88prophets themselves, 89encouraged and strengthened 90the brethren with a lengthy message. 33After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren 91in peace to those who had 92sent them out. 34[93But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.] 35But 94Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and 95preaching with many others also, 96the word of the Lord.

Second Missionary Journey

36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in 97every city in which we proclaimed 98the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37Barnabas wanted to take 99John, called Mark, along with them also. 38But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had 100deserted them 101in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took 102Mark with him and sailed away to 103Cyprus. 40But Paul chose 104Silas and left, being 105committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41And he was traveling through 106Syria and 107Cilicia, strengthening the churches.