[For Those that Confess Christ, But are Desirous to Judaize.]

XII. But because this heresy did then seem the more powerful to seduce men, and the whole Church was in danger,  55  Acts xv Acts xv we the twelve assembled together at Jerusalem (for Matthias was chosen to be an apostle in the room of the betrayer, and took the lot of Judas; as it is said, “His bishopric  56  Ps. cix. 8; Acts i. 20. [The name common to apostles and elders.] Ps. cix. 8; Acts i. 20. [The name common to apostles and elders.] let another take”). We deliberated, together with James the Lord’s brother, what was to be done; and it seemed good to him and to the elders to speak to the people words of doctrine. For certain men likewise went down from Judea to Antioch, and taught the brethren who were there, saying: “Unless ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, and walk according to the other customs which he ordained, ye cannot be saved.”  57  Acts xv. 1. Acts xv. 1. When, therefore, there had been no small dissension and disputation, the brethren which were at Antioch, when they knew that we were all met together about this question, sent out unto us men who were faithful and understanding in the Scriptures to learn concerning this question. And they, when they were come to Jerusalem, declared to us what questions were arisen in the church of Antioch,—namely, that some said men ought to be circumcised, and to observe the other purifications. And when some said one thing, and some another, I Peter stood up, and said unto them: “Men and brethren, ye know how that from ancient days God made choice among you that the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel by my mouth, and believe; and God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness.  58  Acts. xv. 7, 8. Acts. xv. 7, 8. For an angel of the Lord appeared on a certain time to Cornelius,  59  Acts x. Acts x. who was a centurion of the Roman government, and spake to him concerning me, that he should send for me, and hear the word of life from my mouth. He therefore sent for me from Joppa to Cæsarea Stratonis; and when I was ready to go to him, I would have eaten. And while they made ready I was in the upper room praying; and I saw heaven opened, and a vessel, knit at the four corners like a splendid sheet, let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the heaven. And there came a voice out of heaven to me, saying, Arise, Peter; kill, and eat. And I said, By no means, Lord: for I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And there came a voice a second time, saying, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. And this was done thrice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. But as I doubted what this vision should mean, the Spirit said to me, Behold, men seek thee; but rise up, and go thy way with them, nothing doubting, for I have sent them.  60  Acts x. 13, etc. Acts x. 13, etc. These men were those which came from the centurion, and so by reasoning I understood the word of the Lord which is written: ‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’  61  Joel ii. 32 Joel ii. 32 And again: ‘All the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and all the families of the heathen shall worship before Him: for the kingdom is in the Lord’s, and He is the governor of the nations.’  62  Ps. xxii. 27, 28 Ps. xxii. 27, 28 And observing that there were expressions everywhere concerning the calling of the Gentiles, I rose up, and went with them, and entered into the man’s house. And while I was preaching the word, the Holy Spirit fell upon him, and upon those that were with him, as it did upon us at the beginning; and He put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. And I perceived that God is no respecter of persons; but that in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, will be accepted with Him. But even the believers which were of the circumcision were astonished at this. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to lay an heavy yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? But by the grace of the Lord, we believe we shall be saved, even as they.  63  Acts xi. 15, x. 34, 35, 45, xv. 9, 10 Acts xi. 15, x. 34, 35, 45, xv. 9, 10 For the Lord has loosed us from our bonds, and has made our burden light, and has loosed the heavy yoke from us by His clemency.” While I spake these things, the whole multitude kept silence. But James the Lord’s brother answered and said: “Men and brethren, hearken unto me; Simeon hath declared how God at first visited to take out a people from the Gentiles for His name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written: ‘Afterwards I will return, and will raise again and rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will rebuild its ruins, and will again set it up, that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doth these things.’  64  Amos ix. 11 Amos ix. 11 Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we do not trouble those who from among the Gentiles turn unto God: but to charge them that they abstain from the pollutions of the Gentiles, and from what is sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; which laws were given to the ancients who lived before the law, under the law of nature, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Job, and if there be any other of the same sort.”  65  Acts xv. 13, etc. Acts xv. 13, etc. Then it seemed good to us the apostles, and to James the bishop, and to the elders, with the whole Church, to send men chosen from among our own selves, with Barnabas, and Paul of Tarsus, the apostle of the Gentiles, and Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren, and wrote by their hand, as follows: “The apostles, and elders, and brethren,  66  [Compare Elucidation III. vol. v. p. 411, this series.] [Compare Elucidation III. vol. v. p. 411, this series.] to the brethren of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of the Gentiles, send greeting: Since we have heard that some from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no such commandment, it has seemed good to us, when we were met together with one accord, to send chosen men to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom ye sent unto us. We have sent also with them Judas and Silas, who shall themselves declare the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay no other burden upon you than these necessary things; that ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which things if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.”  67  Acts xv. 23, etc. Acts xv. 23, etc. We accordingly sent this epistle; but we ourselves remained in Jerusalem many days, consulting together for the public benefit, for the well ordering of all things.

[12] Ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ τότε αὕτη ἡ αἵρεσις ἰσχυροτέρα πρὸς πλάνην ἔδοξεν εἶναι, καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὅλης κινδυνευούσης, ἡμεῖς οἱ δώδεκα συνελθόντες εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ_ἀντὶ γὰρ τοῦ προδότου Ματθίας σὺν ἡμῖν κατεψηφίσθη ἀπόστολος εἶναι, λαβὼν τὸν κλῆρον Ἰούδα, ὡς εἴρηται: «Τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λάβοι ἕτερος»_ἐπεσκεπτόμεθα ἅμα Ἰακώβῳ τῷ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀδελφῷ, τί γένηται: καὶ ἔδοξεν αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις λόγους διδασκαλίας προσλαλῆσαι τῷ λαῷ. Καὶ γάρ τινες κατελθόντες ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν ἐδίδασκον τοὺς ἐκεῖ ἀδελφούς, λέγοντες, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ περιτέμνησθε τῷ ἔθει Μωϋσέως καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἔθεσιν οἷς διετάξατο περιπατῆτε, οὐ δύνασθε σωθῆναι. Γενομένης οὖν στάσεως καὶ ζητήσεως οὐκ ὀλίγης, οἱ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ ἀδελφοί, γνόντες, ὅτι συνεληλύθαμεν πάντες περὶ τούτου ζητήσοντες, ἐξαπέστειλαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἄνδρας πιστοὺς καὶ τῶν γραφῶν εἰδήμονας, μαθεῖν περὶ τοῦ ζητήματος τούτου. Οἱ δέ, παραγενόμενοι εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἀνήγγειλαν ἡμῖν τὰ ζητηθέντα καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἀντιοχέων Ἐκκλησίᾳ, ὡς ὅτι τινὲς ἔλεγον, ὅτι δεῖ περιτέμνεσθαι καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἁγνείας παραφυλάττειν. Ἄλλων δὲ ἄλλο τι λεγόντων, ἐγὼ Πέτρος ἀναστὰς εἶπον πρὸς αὐτούς: «Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε, ὅτι ἀφ' ἡμερῶν ἀρχαίων ἐν ὑμῖν ἐξελέξατο ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τοῦ στόματός μου ἀκοῦσαι τὰ ἔθνη τὸν λόγον τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου καὶ πιστεῦσαι: καὶ ὁ καρδιογνώστης Θεὸς ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτοῖς. Κορνηλίῳ γάρ ποτε ἑκατοντάρχῃ ῥωμαϊκῆς ἀρχῆς ὤφθη ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ περὶ ἐμοῦ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, ὅπως μεταστείληταί με καὶ ἀκούσῃ ῥήματα ζωῆς ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου: ὁ δὲ μετεπέμψατό με ἀπὸ Ἰόππης εἰς Καισάρειαν τὴν Στράτωνος. Ὁπότε δὲ ἔμελλον πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐκπορεύεσθαι, ἐβουλήθην τροφῆς μεταλαβεῖν: καὶ παρασκευαζόντων, ἤμην ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ προσευχόμενος, καὶ θεωρῶ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγότα καὶ τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς δεδεμένον σκεῦός τι ὡς ὀθόνην λαμπρὰν καὶ καθιέμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἐν ᾧ ὑπῆρχεν πάντα τὰ τετράποδα καὶ τὰ ἑρπετὰ τῆς γῆς καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ: καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πρὸς μὲ λέγουσα: Ἀναστάς, Πέτρε, θῦσον καὶ φάγε. Κἀγὼ εἶπον: Μηδαμῶς, Κύριε, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔφαγον πᾶν κοινὸν καὶ ἀκάθαρτον. Καὶ ἐγένετο πάλιν φωνὴ ἐκ δευτέρου λέγουσα: Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἐκαθάρισεν, σὺ μὴ κοίνου. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τρίς, καὶ ἀνελήφθη τὸ σκεῦος εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Ὡς δὲ διηπόρουν, τί ἂν εἴη τὸ ὅραμα, εἶπέν μοι τὸ Πνεῦμα: Ἰδοὺ ἄνδρες ζητοῦσιν σε: ἀλλὰ ἀναστὰς πορεύθητι σὺν αὐτοῖς μηδὲν διακρινόμενος, διότι ἐγὼ ἀπέσταλκα αὐτούς: οὗτοι δὲ ἦσαν οἱ παρὰ τοῦ ἑκατοντάρχου. Καὶ οὕτως ἀναλογισάμενος ἔγνων τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου τὸ γεγραμμένον, ὅτι »Πᾶς, ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, σωθήσεται.« Καὶ πάλιν: »Μνησθήσονται καὶ ἐπιστραφήσονται πρὸς Κύριον πάντα τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς, καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι αἱ πατριαὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὅτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ αὐτὸς δεσπόζει τῶν ἐθνῶν.« Καὶ ὡς πανταχοῦ περὶ τῆς κλήσεως τῶν ἐθνῶν εἴρηται ἐννοήσας, ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύθην σὺν αὐτοῖς καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀνδρός: καὶ ἔτι μου διαγγέλλοντος τὸν λόγον, ἐπέπεσεν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπ' αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς παρόντας σὺν αὐτῷ, καθὼς καὶ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς ἐν ἀρχῇ: καὶ οὐθὲν διέκρινεν μεταξὺ ἡμῶν τε καὶ αὐτῶν, τῇ πίστει καθαρίσας τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἔγνων ἐγώ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήπτης ὁ Θεός, ἀλλ' ἐν παντὶ ἔθνει ὁ φοβούμενος αὐτὸν καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην δεκτὸς αὐτῷ ἐστιν: ἐξέστησαν δὲ ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς πιστοί. Νῦν οὖν τί πειράζετε τὸν Θεόν, ἐπιθεῖναι ζυγὸν βαρὺν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον τῶν μαθητῶν, ὃν οὔτε ἡμεῖς οὔτε οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἰσχύσαμεν βαστάσαι; Ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Κυρίου πιστεύομεν σωθῆναι, καθ' ὃν τρόπον κἀκεῖνοι: ἔλυσεν γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος ἐκ τῶν δεσμῶν καὶ ἠλάφρυνεν τὸ φορτίον ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν ζυγὸν τοῦ βάρους πραότητι ἔλυσεν ἀφ' ἡμῶν. Ταῦτα δέ μου εἰπόντος, ἐσίγησεν ἅπαν τὸ πλῆθος, ἀπεκρίθη δὲ Ἰάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀδελφὸς λέγων: Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἀκούσατέ μου. Συμεὼν ἐξηγήσατο, καθὼς πρῶτον ὁ Θεὸς ἐπεσκέψατο λαβεῖν ἐξ ἐθνῶν λαὸν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ: καὶ τούτῳ συμφωνοῦσιν οἱ λόγοι τῶν προφητῶν, καθὼς γέγραπται: »Μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναστρέψω καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυὶδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν, καὶ τὰ κατεστραμμένα αὐτῆς ἀνοικοδομήσω καὶ ἀνορθώσω αὐτήν, ὅπως ἂν ἐκζητήσωσιν οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸν Κύριον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἐφ' οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπ' αὐτούς, λέγει Κύριος ὁ ποιῶν ταῦτα.« Γνωστὰ ἀπ' αἰῶνός ἐστι τῷ Θεῷ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ: διὸ ἐγὼ κρίνω μὴ παρενοχλεῖν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐπιστρέφουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν, ἀλλ' ἐπιστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἀπέχεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλισγημάτων τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰδωλοθύτου καὶ πορνείας καὶ αἵματος καὶ πνικτοῦ: ἅπερ καὶ τοῖς παλαιοῖς ἦν νενομοθετημένα τοῖς πρὸ τοῦ νόμου φυσικοῖς, Ἐνώς, Ἐνώχ, Νῶε, Μελχισεδέκ, Ἰὼβ καὶ εἴ τις τοιοῦτος ἐγεγόνει. Τότε ἔδοξεν ἡμῖν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις καὶ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἰακώβῳ καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις σὺν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἐκλεξαμένους ἄνδρας ἐξ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν πέμψαι σὺν τοῖς περὶ Βαρνάβαν καὶ Παῦλον τὸν τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀπόστολον τὸν Ταρσέα καὶ Ἰούδαν τὸν καλούμενον Βαρσαββᾶν καὶ Σίλαν, ἄνδρας ἡγουμένους ἐν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, γράψαντες διὰ χειρὸς αὐτῶν τάδε: Οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν καὶ Συρίαν καὶ Κιλικίαν ἀδελφοῖς τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν χαίρειν. Ἐπειδὴ ἠκούσαμεν, ὅτι τινὲς ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐτάραξαν ὑμᾶς λόγοις ἀνασκευάζοντες τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν, οἷς οὐ διεστειλάμεθα, ἔδοξεν ἡμῖν γενομένοις ὁμοθυμαδόν, ἐκλεξαμένους ἄνδρας ἐκπέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς σὺν τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς ἡμῶν Βαρνάβᾳ καὶ Παύλῳ, ἀνθρώποις παραδεδωκόσι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' ὧν ἐπεστείλατε: ἀπεστάλκαμεν δὲ μετ' αὐτῶν Ἰούδαν καὶ Σίλαν, καὶ αὐτοὺς διὰ λόγου ἀπαγγέλλοντας τὰ αὐτά. Ἔδοξεν γὰρ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι καὶ ἡμῖν μηθὲν πλέον ἐπιτίθεσθαι ὑμῖν βάρος πλὴν τούτων τῶν ἐπάναγκες, ἀπέχεσθαι εἰδωλοθύτου καὶ αἵματος καὶ πνικτοῦ καὶ πορνείας: ἐξ ὧν διατηροῦντες ἑαυτοὺς εὖ πράξετε. Ἔρρωσθε.»