Chapter 15

But some came down from Judea and began to teach the brethren, saying, "Unless you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved"

And when no little objection was made against them by Paul and Barnabas, they decided that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem about this question.

So they, sent on their way by the church, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great rejoicing among all the brethren.

On arriving at Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the presbyters, and they proclaimed all that God had done with them.

But some of the Pharisees' sect, who had accepted the faith, got up and said, "They must be circumcised and also told to observe the Law of Moses." Peter's Decision

So the apostles and the presbyters had a meeting to look into this matter.

And after a long debate, Peter got up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in early days God made choice among us, that through my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.

And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us;

and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith.

Why then do you now try to test God by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."

Then the whole meeting quieted down and listened while Barnabas and Paul told of the great signs and wonders that God had done among the Gentiles through them. Advice from James

After these had finished speaking, James made this answer, saying, "Brethren, listen to me.

Simon has told how God first visited the Gentiles to take from among them a people to bear his name.

And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written,

'After these things I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down, and the ruins thereof I will rebuild, and I will set it up;

That the rest of mankind may seek after the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name is invoked, says the Lord, who does these things. '

'To the Lord was his own work known from the beginning of the world. '

Therefore my judgment is not to disquiet those who from among the Gentiles are turning to the Lord;

but to send them written instructions to abstain from anything that has been contaminated by idols and from immorality and from anything strangled and from blood.

For Moses for generations past has had his preachers in every city in the synagogues, where he is read aloud every Sabbath." The Decision

Then the apostles and the presbyters with the whole church decided to select representatives and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. These were Judas, surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.

They were bearers of the following letter: "The brethren who are apostles and presbyters send greeting to the brethren of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.

As we have heard that some of our number have disturbed you with their teaching, unsettling your minds, persons to whom we had given no instruction,

we have decided, being assembled together, to select representatives and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul:

men who have pledged their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also by word of mouth will give you the same message.

For the Holy Spirit and we have decided to lay no further burden upon you but this indispensable one,

that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from immorality; keep yourselves from these things, and you will get on well. Farewell."

So the delegates went down to Antioch and, gathering the community together, they delivered the letter.

And they, having read it, were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.

As Judas and Silas were themselves prophets, they exhorted the brethren with many words and strengthened them.

After spending some time there, they were let go by the brethren with a greeting to those who had sent them.

Silas however decided to stay there, and so Judas departed alone for Jerusalem.

But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others. Paul and Barnabas Separate

Now some time after Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in all the cities where we have preached the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing."

But Barnabas wanted to take with them John also, who was surnamed Mark.

But Paul asked that he, inasmuch as he had deserted them in Pamphylia instead of going on with them to their work, should not again be taken along.

And a sharp contention sprang up so that they separated from each other, and Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus.

But Paul chose Silas and set out, the brethren commending him to the grace of the Lord;

and he travelled through Syria and Cilicia, and strengthened the churches and commanded them to keep the precepts of the apostles and presbyters.