English Standard Version ESV
The Darby Translation DBY
1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. ”
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And certain persons, having come down from Judaea, taught the brethren, If ye shall not have been circumcised according to the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.
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A commotion therefore having taken place, and no small discussion on the part of Paul and Barnabas against them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from amongst them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.
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They therefore, having been set on their way by the assembly, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of [those of] the nations. And they caused great joy to all the brethren.
4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.
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And being arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly, and the apostles, and the elders, and related all that God had wrought with them.
5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses. ”
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And some of those who were of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, rose up from among [them], saying that they ought to circumcise them and enjoin them to keep the law of Moses.
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.
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And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.
7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
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And much discussion having taken place, Peter, standing up, said to them, Brethren, *ye* know that from the earliest days God amongst you chose that the nations by my mouth should hear the word of the glad tidings and believe.
8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,
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And the heart-knowing God bore them witness, giving [them] the Holy Spirit as to us also,
9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.
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and put no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith.
10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
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Now therefore why tempt ye God, by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will. ”
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But we believe that we shall be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner as they also.
12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
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And all the multitude kept silence and listened to Barnabas and Paul relating all the signs and wonders which God had wrought among the nations by them.
13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.
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And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, listen to me:
14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name.
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Simon has related how God first visited to take out of [the] nations a people for his name.
15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
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And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written:
16 “‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,
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After these things I will return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which is fallen, and will rebuild its ruins, and will set it up,
17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things
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so that the residue of men may seek out the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name is invoked, saith [the] Lord, who does these things
18 known from of old. ’
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known from eternity.
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,
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Wherefore *I* judge, not to trouble those who from the nations turn to God;
20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
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but to write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues. ”
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For Moses, from generations of old, has in every city those who 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 from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,
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Then it seemed good to the apostles and to the elders, with the whole assembly, to send chosen men from among them with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch, Judas called Barsabas and Silas, leading men among the brethren,
23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.
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having by their hand written [thus]: The apostles, and the elders, and the brethren, to the brethren who are from among [the] nations at Antioch, and [in] Syria and Cilicia, greeting:
24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,
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Inasmuch as we have heard that some who went out from amongst us have troubled you by words, upsetting your souls, [saying that ye must be circumcised and keep the law]; to whom we gave no commandment;
25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
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it seemed good to us, having arrived at a common judgment, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.
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We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also will tell you by word [of mouth] the same things.
28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
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For it has 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 what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. ”
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to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication; keeping yourselves from which ye will do well. Farewell.
30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.
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They therefore, being let go, came to Antioch, and having gathered the multitude delivered to [them] the epistle.
31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.
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And having read it, they rejoiced at the consolation.
32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.
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And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with much discourse, and strengthened them.
33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.
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And having passed some time [there], they were let go in peace from the brethren to those who sent them.
35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
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And Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and announcing the glad tidings, with many others also, of the word of the Lord.
36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are. ”
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But after certain days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city where we have announced the word of the Lord, [and see] how they are getting on.
37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.
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And Barnabas proposed to take with [them] John also, called Mark;
38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
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but Paul thought it not well to take with them him who had abandoned them, [going back] from Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,
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There arose therefore very warm feeling, so that they separated from one another; and Barnabas taking Mark sailed away to Cyprus;
40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
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but Paul having chosen Silas went forth, committed by the brethren to the grace of God.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
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And he passed through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the assemblies.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.