Acts 15

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The dispute raised by Judaizing teachers

Now certain men came down from Judaea, teaching the brothers and saying that without circumcision, after the rule of Moses, there is no salvation. Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.”
And after Paul and Barnabas had had no little argument and discussion with them, the brothers made a decision to send Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them to the Apostles and the rulers of the church at Jerusalem about this question. Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
So they, being sent on their way by the church, went through Phoenicia and Samaria, giving news of the salvation of the Gentiles, to the great joy of all the brothers. They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.
And when they came to Jerusalem, they had a meeting with the church and the Apostles and the rulers, and they gave an account of all the things which God had done through them. When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them.
But some of the Pharisees, who were of the faith, got up and said, It is necessary for these to have circumcision and to keep the law of Moses. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
And the Apostles and the rulers of the church came together and gave thought to the question. The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.

The council at Jerusalem

And when there had been much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, My brothers, you have knowledge that some time back it was God's pleasure that by my mouth the good news might be given to the Gentiles so that they might have faith. When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe.
And God, the searcher of hearts, was a witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit even as he did to us; God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us.
Making no division between them and us, but making clean their hearts by faith. He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
Why then are you testing God, by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke so hard that not even our fathers or we were strong enough for it? Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we have faith that we will get salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way as they. But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”
And all the people were quiet while Barnabas and Paul gave an account of the signs and wonders which God had done among the Gentiles by them. All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.
And when they had come to an end, James, answering, said, My brothers, give ear to me: After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me.
Symeon has given an account of how God was first pleased to take from among the Gentiles a people for himself. Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations, to take out of them a people for his name.
And this is in agreement with the words of the prophets, as it is said, This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written,
After these things I will come back, and will put up the tent of David which has been broken down, building up again its broken parts and making it complete: ‘After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up,
So that the rest of men may make search for the Lord, and all the Gentiles on whom my name is named, That the rest of men may seek after the Lord; All the Gentiles who are called by my name, Says the Lord, who does all these things.
Says the Lord, who has made these things clear from the earliest times. All his works are known to God from eternity.’
For this reason my decision is, that we do not put trouble in the way of those who from among the Gentiles are turned to God; “Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,
But that we give them orders to keep themselves from things offered to false gods, and from the evil desires of the body, and from the flesh of animals put to death in ways against the law, and from blood. but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.
For Moses, from times long past, has his preachers in every town, reading his law in the Synagogues every Sabbath. For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

The letter from the council

Then it seemed good to the Apostles and the rulers and all the church, to send men from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; Judas, named Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers: Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.
And they sent a letter by them, saying, The Apostles and the older brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, may joy be with you: They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.
Because we have knowledge that some who went from us have been troubling you with their words, putting your souls in doubt; to whom we gave no such order; Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment;
It seemed good to us, having come to an agreement together, to send these men to you, with our well loved Barnabas and Paul, it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And so we have sent Judas and Silas, who will say the same things to you themselves, by word of mouth. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to put on you nothing more than these necessary things; For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:
To keep from things offered to false gods, and from blood, and from things put to death in ways which are against the law, and from the evil desires of the body; if you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. May you be happy. that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”
So they, being sent away, came down to Antioch, and having got the people together, they gave them the letter. So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.
And after reading it, they were glad of its comfort. When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.
And Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, gave teaching to the brothers and made them strong in the faith. Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them.
And when they had been there for some time, they were sent back in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. After they had spent some time there, they were sent back with greetings from the brothers to the apostles.
[] Not in WEB
But Paul and Barnabas kept on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of God, with a number of others. But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Paul and Barnabas separate

And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go back and see the brothers in every town where we have given the word of God, and see how they are. After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return now and visit our brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
And Barnabas had a desire to take with them John, named Mark. Barnabas planned to take John, who was called Mark, with them also.
But Paul was of the opinion that it was not right to take with them one who had gone away from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with the work. But Paul didn’t think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and didn’t go with them to do the work.
And there was a sharp argument between them, so that they were parted from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and went by ship to Cyprus; Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus,
But Paul took Silas and went away with the blessing of the brothers. but Paul chose Silas, and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, making the churches stronger in the faith. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.
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