Acts 15
1
And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, [saying], Except you
be circumcised after the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.
2
And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, [the
brethren] appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up
to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
3
They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia
and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy to
all the brethren.
4
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles
and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them.
5
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is
needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.
6
And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.
7
And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said to them, Brethren,
you know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles
should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8
And God, who knows the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even
as he did to us;
9
and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
10
Now therefore why make you trial of God, that you should put a yoke upon the neck
of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11
But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like
manner as they.
12
And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened to Barnabas and Paul rehearsing
what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.
13
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken to
me:
14
Symeon has rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people
for his name.
15
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16
After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle of David,
which is fallen; And I will build again its ruins, And I will set it up:
17
That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my
name is called,
18
Says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.
19
Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn
to God;
20
but that we write to them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from
fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
21
For Moses from generations of old has in every city them that preach him, being read
in the synagogues every sabbath.
22
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose
men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; [namely],
Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23
and they wrote [thus] by them, The apostles and the elders, brethren, to the brethren
who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:
24
Seeing that as we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with
words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment;
25
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,
26
men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same
things by word of mouth.
28
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things:
29
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things
strangled, and from fornication; from which if you keep yourselves, it shall be well
with you. Fare you well.
30
So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude
together, they delivered the epistle.
31
And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32
And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many
words, and confirmed them.
33
And after they had spent some time [there], they were dismissed in peace from the
brethren to those that had sent them forth.
34
[But it seemed good to Silas to abide there.]
35
But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord,
with many others also.
36
And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren
in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [and see] how they fare.
37
And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark.
38
But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia,
and went not with them to the work.
39
And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other,
and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus;
40
but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace
of the Lord.
41
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.