Parallel Bible results for "acts 15"

Acts 15

New Century Version NCV

1 Then some people came to Antioch from Judea and began teaching the non-Jewish believers: "You cannot be saved if you are not circumcised as Moses taught us."

2 Paul and Barnabas were against this teaching and argued with them about it. So the church decided to send Paul, Barnabas, and some others to Jerusalem where they could talk more about this with the apostles and elders.

3 The church helped them leave on the trip, and they went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria, telling all about how those who were not Jewish had turned to God. This made all the believers very happy.

4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the apostles, the elders, and the church. Paul, Barnabas, and the others told about everything God had done with them.

5 But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group came forward and said, "The non-Jewish believers must be circumcised. They must be told to obey the law of Moses."

6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this problem.

7 After a long debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to those who are not Jewish. They heard the Good News from me, and they believed.

8 God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, accepted them. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.

9 To God, those people are not different from us. When they believed, he made their hearts pure.

10 So now why are you testing God by putting a heavy load around the necks of the non-Jewish believers? It is a load that neither we nor our ancestors were able to carry.

11 But we believe that we and they too will be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus."

12 Then the whole group became quiet. They listened to Paul and Barnabas tell about all the miracles and signs that God did through them among the non-Jewish people.

13 After they finished speaking, James said, "Brothers, listen to me.

14 Simon has told us how God showed his love for the non-Jewish people. For the first time he is accepting from among them a people to be his own.

15 The words of the prophets agree with this too:

16 'After these things I will return. The kingdom of David is like a fallen tent. But I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up.

17 Then those people who are left alive may ask the Lord for help, and the other nations that belong to me, says the Lord, who will make it happen.

18 And these things have been known for a long time.'

19 "So I think we should not bother the non-Jewish people who are turning to God.

20 Instead, we should write a letter to them telling them these things: Stay away from food that has been offered to idols (which makes it unclean), any kind of sexual sin, eating animals that have been strangled, and blood.

21 They should do these things, because for a long time in every city the law of Moses has been taught. And it is still read in the synagogue every Sabbath day."

22 The apostles, the elders, and the whole church decided to send some of their men with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas, who were respected by the believers.

23 They sent the following letter with them: From the apostles and elders, your brothers. To all the non-Jewish believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings!

24 We have heard that some of our group have come to you and said things that trouble and upset you. But we did not tell them to do this.

25 We have all agreed to choose some messengers and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul --

26 people who have given their lives to serve our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 So we are sending Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same things.

28 It has pleased the Holy Spirit that you should not have a heavy load to carry, and we agree. You need to do only these things:

29 Stay away from any food that has been offered to idols, eating any animals that have been strangled, and blood, and any kind of sexual sin. If you stay away from these things, you will do well. Good-bye.

30 So they left Jerusalem and went to Antioch where they gathered the church and gave them the letter.

31 When they read it, they were very happy because of the encouraging message.

32 Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, said many things to encourage the believers and make them stronger.

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

34

35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch and, along with many others, preached the Good News and taught the people the message of the Lord.

36 After some time, Paul said to Barnabas, "We should go back to all those towns where we preached the message of the Lord. Let's visit the believers and see how they are doing."

37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them,

38 but he had left them at Pamphylia; he did not continue with them in the work. So Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him.

39 Paul and Barnabas had such a serious argument about this that they separated and went different ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus,

40 but Paul chose Silas and left. The believers in Antioch put Paul into the Lord's care,

41 and he went through Syria and Cilicia, giving strength to the churches.

New Living Translation NLT

1 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers : “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.

3 The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.

4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them.

5 But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.”

6 So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.

7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe.

8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.

9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.

10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?

11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

12 Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

13 When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me.

14 Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.

15 And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:

16 ‘Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it,

17 so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD, including the Gentiles— all those I have called to be mine. The LORD has spoken—

18 he who made these things known so long ago.’

19 “And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.

21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”

22 Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders —Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas.

23 This is the letter they took with them: “This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!

24 “We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them!

25 So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.

28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:

29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”

30 The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter.

31 And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.

32 Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith.

33 They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace.

34

35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there.

36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.”

37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.

38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.

39 Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.

40 Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.

41 Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.