| American Standard Version (ASV) | New International Version (NIV) |
| 1 And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren, [saying], Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved. | 1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by 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 unto the apostles and elders about this question. | 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see 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 unto all the brethren. | 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. |
| 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. | 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through 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. | 5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." |
| 6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter. | 6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. |
| 7 And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye 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. | 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. |
| 8 And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; | 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. |
| 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. | 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. |
| 10 Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? | 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? |
| 11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they. | 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." |
| 12 And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them. | 12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. |
| 13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me: | 13 When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. |
| 14 Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. | 14 Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. |
| 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, | 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, 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 the ruins thereof, And I will set it up: | 16 " 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, |
| 17 That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, | 17 that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' |
| 18 Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old. | 18 that have been known for ages. |
| 19 Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God; | 19 "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. |
| 20 but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. | 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. |
| 21 For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath. | 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on 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: | 22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. |
| 23 and they wrote [thus] by them, The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: | 23 With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. |
| 24 Forasmuch 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; | 24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. |
| 25 it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, | 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul-- |
| 26 men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. | 26 men who have risked 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. | 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. |
| 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: | 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: |
| 29 that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well. | 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. |
| 30 So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle. | 30 The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. |
| 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation. | 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. |
| 32 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. | 32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. |
| 33 And after they had spent some time [there], they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth. | 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. |
| 34 [But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there.] | 34 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord. |
| 35 But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. | 35 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." |
| 36 And after some days Paul said unto 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. | 36 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, |
| 37 And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark. | 37 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. |
| 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. | 38 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, |
| 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 unto Cyprus; | 39 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. |
| 40 but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. | 40 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. |
| 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. | 41 |
| The American Standard Version is in the public domain. (The American Standard Version Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |