Acts 14; Acts 15

Acts 14

1 The same thing happened in Iconium: Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of Jews and Gentiles became believers.

2 But the Jews who would not believe stirred up the Gentiles and turned them against the believers.

3 The apostles stayed there for a long time, speaking boldly about the Lord, who proved that their message about his grace was true by giving them the power to perform miracles and wonders.

4 The people of the city were divided: some were for the Jews, others for the apostles.

5 Then some Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, decided to mistreat the apostles and stone them.

6 When the apostles learned about it, they fled to the cities of Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia and to the surrounding territory.

7 There they preached the Good News.

8 In Lystra there was a crippled man who had been lame from birth and had never been able to walk.

9 He sat there and listened to Paul's words. Paul saw that he believed and could be healed, so he looked straight at him

10 and said in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" The man jumped up and started walking around.

11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they started shouting in their own Lycaonian language, "The gods have become like men and have come down to us!"

12 They gave Barnabas the name Zeus, and Paul the name Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

13 The priest of the god Zeus, whose temple stood just outside the town, brought bulls and flowers to the gate, for he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice to the apostles.

14 When Barnabas and Paul heard what they were about to do, they tore their clothes and ran into the middle of the crowd, shouting,

15 "Why are you doing this? We ourselves are only human beings like you! We are here to announce the Good News, to turn you away from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven, earth, sea, and all that is in them.

16 In the past he allowed all people to go their own way.

17 But he has always given evidence of his existence by the good things he does: he gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times; he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness."

18 Even with these words the apostles could hardly keep the crowd from offering a sacrifice to them.

19 Some Jews came from Antioch in Pisidia and from Iconium; they won the crowds over to their side, stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, thinking that he was dead.

20 But when the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he and Barnabas went to Derbe.

21 Paul and Barnabas preached the Good News in Derbe and won many disciples. Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and on to Antioch in Pisidia.

22 They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remain true to the faith. "We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God," they taught.

23 In each church they appointed elders, and with prayers and fasting they commended them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

24 After going through the territory of Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

25 There they preached the message in Perga and then went to Attalia,

26 and from there they sailed back to Antioch, the place where they had been commended to the care of God's grace for the work they had now completed.

27 When they arrived in Antioch, they gathered the people of the church together and told them about all that God had done with them and how he had opened the way for the Gentiles to believe.

28 And they stayed a long time there with the believers.

Acts 15

1 Some men came from Judea to Antioch and started teaching the believers, "You cannot be saved unless you are circumcised as the Law of Moses requires."

2 Paul and Barnabas got into a fierce argument with them about this, so it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others in Antioch should go to Jerusalem and see the apostles and elders about this matter.

3 They were sent on their way by the church; and as they went through Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported how the Gentiles had turned to God; this news brought great joy to all the believers.

4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them.

5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses."

6 The apostles and the elders met together to consider this question.

7 After a long debate Peter stood up and said, "My friends, you know that a long time ago God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, so that they could hear and believe.

8 And God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us.

9 He made no difference between us and them; he forgave their sins because they believed.

10 So then, why do you now want to put God to the test by laying a load on the backs of the believers which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry?

11 No! We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."

12 The whole group was silent as they heard Barnabas and Paul report all the miracles and wonders that God had performed through them among the Gentiles.

13 When they had finished speaking, James spoke up: "Listen to me, my friends!

14 Simon has just explained how God first showed his care for the Gentiles by taking from among them a people to belong to him.

15 The words of the prophets agree completely with this. As the scripture says,

16 "After this I will return, says the Lord, and restore the kingdom of David. I will rebuild its ruins and make it strong again.

17 And so all the rest of the human race will come to me, all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own.

18 So says the Lord, who made this known long ago.'

19 "It is my opinion," James went on, "that we should not trouble the Gentiles who are turning to God.

20 Instead, we should write a letter telling them not to eat any food that is ritually unclean because it has been offered to idols; to keep themselves from sexual immorality; and not to eat any animal that has been strangled, or any blood.

21 For the Law of Moses has been read for a very long time in the synagogues every Sabbath, and his words are preached in every town."

22 Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, decided to choose some men from the group and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose two men who were highly respected by the believers, Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,

23 and they sent the following letter by them: "We, the apostles and the elders, your brothers, send greetings to all our brothers of Gentile birth who live in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.

24 We have heard that some who went from our group have troubled and upset you by what they said; they had not, however, received any instruction from us.

25 And so we have met together and have all agreed to choose some messengers and send them to you. They will go with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

26 who have risked their lives in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 We send you, then, Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things we are writing.

28 The Holy Spirit and we have agreed not to put any other burden on you besides these necessary rules:

29 eat no food that has been offered to idols; eat no blood; eat no animal that has been strangled; and keep yourselves from sexual immorality. You will do well if you take care not to do these things. With our best wishes."

30 The messengers were sent off and went to Antioch, where they gathered the whole group of believers and gave them the letter.

31 When the people read it, they were filled with joy by the message of encouragement.

32 Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, spoke a long time with them, giving them courage and strength.

33 After spending some time there, they were sent off in peace by the believers and went back to those who had sent them.

35 Paul and Barnabas spent some time in Antioch, and together with many others they taught and preached the word of the Lord.

36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in every town where we preached the word of the Lord, and let us find out how they are getting along."

37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them,

38 but Paul did not think it was right to take him, because he had not stayed with them to the end of their mission, but had turned back and left them in Pamphylia.

39 There was a sharp argument, and they separated: Barnabas took Mark and sailed off for Cyprus,

40 while Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the care of the Lord's grace.

41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.