Acts 15

The Council in Jerusalem

11SomeG5100 menG5100 cameG2718 downG2718 from JudeaG2449 and began teachingG1321 2the brothersG80, “UnlessG1437G3361 you are 3circumcisedG4059 according to 4the customG1485 of MosesG3475, you cannotG1410G3756 be savedG4982.” 2And after PaulG3972 and BarnabasG921 hadG1096 5a heatedG3756G3641 argumentG4714 and 6debateG2214 with them, 7the brothers determinedG5021 that PaulG3972 and BarnabasG921 and someG5100 othersG243 of them should goG305 upG305 to JerusalemG2419 to the 8apostlesG652 and eldersG4245 concerningG4012 thisG3778 issueG2213. 3ThereforeG3767, after being 9sentG4311 onG4311 their wayG4311 by the churchG1577, they were passingG1330 throughG1330 bothG5037 10PhoeniciaG5403 and SamariaG4540, 11describingG1555 inG1555 detailG1555 the conversionG1995 of the GentilesG1484, and they were bringingG4160 greatG3173 joyG5479 to allG3956 12the brothersG80 and sisters. 4When they arrivedG3854 in JerusalemG2414, they were receivedG3858 by the churchG1577, 13the apostlesG652, and the eldersG4245, and they 14reportedG312 allG3745 thatG3745 GodG2316 had doneG4160 with them. 5But someG5100 of 15the sectG139 of the 16PhariseesG5330 who had believedG4100 stoodG1817 upG1817, sayingG3004, “It is necessaryG1163 to 17circumciseG4059 18them and to directG3853 them to keepG5083 the LawG3551 of MosesG3475.”

619The apostlesG652 and the eldersG4245 cameG4863 togetherG4863 to 20lookG3708 into thisG3778 21matterG3056. 7After there had beenG1096 muchG4183 22debateG2214, PeterG4074 stoodG450 upG450 and saidG3004 to them, “23BrothersG435G80, you knowG1987 that 24in the earlyG744 daysG2250 25GodG2316 madeG1586 aG1586 choiceG1586 amongG1722 you, that by my mouthG4750 the GentilesG1484 would hearG191 the wordG3056 of 26the gospelG2098 and believeG4100. 8And GodG2316, 27whoG2589 knowsG2589 theG2589 heartG2589, testifiedG3140 to them 28givingG1325 them the HolyG40 SpiritG4151, justG2531 asG2531 He alsoG2532 did to us; 9and 29He madeG1252 noG3762 distinctionG1252 betweenG3342 us and them, 30cleansingG2511 their heartsG2588 by faithG4102. 10SinceG3767 thisG3568 is the caseG3568, whyG5101 are you 31puttingG3985 GodG2316 toG3985 theG3985 testG3985 by placingG2007 upon the neckG5137 of the disciplesG3101 a yokeG2218 whichG3739 32neitherG3777 our forefathersG3962 norG3777 we have beenG2480 ableG2480 to bearG941? 11But we believeG4100 that we are savedG4982 throughG1223 33the graceG5485 of the LordG2962 JesusG2424, in the sameG3739 wayG5158 as they alsoG2548 are.”

12AllG3956 the peopleG4128 keptG4601 silentG4601, and they were listeningG191 to BarnabasG921 and PaulG3972 as they were 34relatingG1834 allG3745 the 35signsG4592 and wondersG5059 thatG3745 GodG2316 had doneG4160 throughG1223 them amongG1722 the GentilesG1484.

James’ Judgment

13AfterG3326 they stoppedG4601 speakingG4601, 3637JamesG2385 respondedG611, sayingG3004, “38BrothersG435G80, listenG191 to me. 1439SimeonG4826 has describedG1834 howG2531 GodG2316 firstG4413 concernedG1980 Himself aboutG1980 takingG2983 a peopleG2992 for His nameG3686 from amongG1537 the GentilesG1484. 15The wordsG3056 of 40the ProphetsG4396 agreeG4856 with thisG3778, justG2531 asG2531 it is writtenG1125:16‘41AfterG3326 theseG3778 thingsG3778 42I will returnG390, And I will rebuildG456 the fallenG4098 43tabernacleG4633 of DavidG1160, And I will rebuildG456 its ruinsG2690, And I will restoreG461 it,1744SoG3704 thatG3704 the restG2645 of mankindG444 may seekG1567 the LordG2962, And allG3956 the GentilesG1484 4546whoG3739 are calledG1941 by My nameG3686,’1847SaysG3004 the LordG2962, who 4849makesG4160 theseG3778 thingsG3778 knownG1110 from longG165 agoG165. 19ThereforeG1352, it is 50my judgmentG2919 that we do not causeG3926 troubleG3926 for thoseG3588 from the GentilesG1484 who are turningG1994 to GodG2316, 20but that we writeG1989 to them that they abstainG568 from 5152thingsG234 contaminatedG234 by idolsG1497, from 53acts of sexualG4202 immoralityG4202, from 54what has been 55strangledG4156, and from bloodG129. 21For 56from ancientG744 generationsG1074 MosesG3475 hasG2192 thoseG3588 who preachG2784 him in everyG2596 cityG4172, since 57he is readG314 in the synagoguesG4864 everyG3956 SabbathG4521.”

22ThenG5119 it seemedG1380 goodG1380 to 58the apostlesG652 and the eldersG4245, with the wholeG3650 churchG1577, to chooseG1586 menG435 from amongG1537 them to sendG3992 to 59AntiochG490 with PaulG3972 and BarnabasG921: JudasG2455 who was calledG2564 BarsabbasG923, and 60SilasG4609, leadingG2233 menG435 amongG1722 61the brothersG80, 23and they 62sentG1125 this letterG1125 with them: “63The apostlesG652 and the brothersG80 who are eldersG4245, to 64the brothersG80 and sisters in 65AntiochG490, 66SyriaG4947, and 67CiliciaG2791 whoG3588 are from the GentilesG1484: 68GreetingsG5463. 24SinceG1894 we have heardG191 that 69someG5100 70of our numberG1473 to whomG3739 we gaveG1291 noG3756 instructionG1291 have 71confusedG5015 you by their 72teachingG3056, upsettingG384 your soulsG5590, 2573it seemedG1380 goodG1380 to us, having 74becomeG1096 of oneG3661 mindG3661, to selectG1586 menG435 to sendG3992 to you with our belovedG27 BarnabasG921 and PaulG3972, 26menG444 who have 7576riskedG3860 their livesG5590 for the nameG3686 of our LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547. 27ThereforeG3767, we have sentG649 77JudasG2455 and 78SilasG4609, who themselvesG846 will alsoG2532 reportG518 the sameG846 thingsG846 by wordG3056 of mouth. 28For 79it seemedG1380 goodG1380 to 80the HolyG40 SpiritG4151 and to 81us to layG2007 uponG2007 you noG3367 greaterG4183 burdenG922 thanG4133 theseG3778 essentialsG1876: 29that you abstainG568 from 82thingsG1494 sacrificedG1494 toG1494 idolsG1494, from 83bloodG129, from 84thingsG4156 strangledG4156, and from 85acts of sexualG4202 immoralityG4202; 86if you keepG1301 yourselvesG1438 freeG1301 from suchG3739 thingsG3739, you will doG4238 wellG2095. FarewellG4517.”

30SoG3767 when they were sentG630 awayG630, 87they wentG2718 downG2718 to AntiochG490; and after gatheringG4863 the 88congregationG4128 togetherG4863, they deliveredG1929 the letterG1992. 31When they had readG314 it, they rejoicedG5463 becauseG1909 of its 89encouragementG3874. 3290JudasG2455 and 91SilasG4609, alsoG2532 beingG1510 92prophetsG4396 themselvesG846, 93encouragedG3870 and strengthenedG1991 94the brothersG80 and sisters with a lengthyG4183 messageG3056. 33After they had spentG4160 timeG5550 there, they were sentG630 awayG630 from the brothersG80 and sisters 95in peaceG1515 to thoseG3588 who had 96sentG649 them outG649.97 35But 98PaulG3972 and BarnabasG921 stayedG1304 in AntiochG490, teachingG1321 and 99preachingG2097 100the wordG3056 of the LordG2962, with manyG4183 othersG2087 alsoG2532.

Second Missionary Journey

36AfterG3326 someG5100 daysG2250 PaulG3972 saidG3004 to BarnabasG921, “Let’s returnG1994 and visitG1980 the brothersG80 and sisters in 101everyG3956 cityG4172 in whichG3739 we proclaimedG2605 102the wordG3056 of the LordG2962, and see howG4459 they are.” 37BarnabasG921 wantedG1014 to takeG4838 103JohnG2491, calledG2564 MarkG3138, alongG4838 with them alsoG2532. 38But PaulG3972 wasG515 ofG515 theG515 opinionG515 that they should not takeG4838 alongG4838 with them thisG3778 manG3778 who had 104desertedG868 them 105in PamphyliaG3828 and had not goneG4905 with them to the workG2041. 39Now it turnedG1096 into suchG5620 a sharpG3948 disagreementG3948 thatG5620 they separatedG673 from oneG240 anotherG240, and BarnabasG921 tookG3880 106MarkG3138 with him and sailedG1602 awayG1602 to 107CyprusG2954. 40But PaulG3972 choseG1951 108SilasG4609, and leftG1831 after being 109entrustedG3860 by the brothersG80 to the graceG5485 of the LordG2962. 41And he was travelingG1330 throughG1330 110SyriaG4947 and 111CiliciaG2791, strengtheningG1991 the churchesG1577.