The Jerusalem Council
1 1But some men came down from Judea and were teaching
2the brothers, "Unless you are
3circumcised
4according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
2
And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and
5debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and
6some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to
7the apostles and the elders about this question.
3
So,
8being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria,
9describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and
10brought great joy to all
11the brothers.
4
12When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and
13the apostles and the elders, and
14they declared all that God had done with them.
5
But some believers who belonged to
15the party of the Pharisees rose up and said,
16"It is necessary
17to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses."
6
18The
19apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.
7
And after there had been much
20debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you,
21that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear
22the word of
23the gospel and believe.
8
And God,
24who knows the heart,
25bore witness to them,
26by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,
9
and
27he made no distinction between us and them,
28having cleansed their hearts
29by faith.
10
Now, therefore, why
30are you putting God to the test
31by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples
32that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
11
But we
33believe that we will be
34saved through
35the grace of the Lord Jesus,
36just as they will."
12
And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul
37as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
13
After they finished speaking,
38James replied, "Brothers, listen to me.
14
39Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them
40a people for his name.
15
And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16
41"'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,
17
that the remnant of mankind
42may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles
43who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things
19
Therefore
45my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who
46turn to God,
20
but should write to them
47to abstain from
48the things polluted by idols, and from
49sexual immorality, and from
50what has been strangled, and from
51blood.
21
For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him,
52for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues."
The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers
22 Then it seemed good to
53the 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
54Barsabbas, and
55Silas, leading men among
56the brothers,
23
with the following letter:
57"The brothers, both
58the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia,
59greetings.
24
Since we have heard that
60some persons have gone out from us and
61troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,
25
it has seemed good to us, having come
62to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our
63beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26
64men who have
65risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27
We have therefore sent
66Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.
28
For it has seemed good
67to the Holy Spirit and
68to us
69to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
29
70that you abstain from
71what 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."
30
So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.
31
And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.
32
And Judas and Silas, who were themselves
72prophets, encouraged and
73strengthened
74the brothers with many words.
33
And after they had spent some time, they were sent off
75in peace by
76the brothers to those who had sent them.
35
But
77Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.