Acts 15

¹And there came down certain men from Judaea, and taught the brethren, Unless ye are circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

²But when Paul and Barnabas had had no small dissension and debate with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

³They therefore, having been sent forward by the church, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.

⁴And having come to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, and by the apostles and elders, and they related what great things God had wrought with them.

⁵But there rose up certain believers of the sect of the Pharisees, saying, It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

⁶And the apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter.

⁷And after much debate, Peter rose up and said to them, Brethren, ye know that a long time ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the gentiles should hear the word of the glad tidings, and believe.

⁸And God, who knoweth the heart, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it to us;

⁹and made no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith.

¹⁰Now therefore why do ye provoke the anger of God, by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

¹¹But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner as they.

¹²And all the multitude became silent, and listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they related what great signs and wonders God had wrought among the gentiles by them.

¹³And after they had done speaking, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken to me.

¹⁴Simeon hath related how God first visited the gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

¹⁵And with this agree the words of the Prophets, as it is written:

¹⁶"After this I will return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which hath fallen; and I will rebuild its ruins, and will set it up;

¹⁷that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, and all the gentiles, who have been called by my name, saith the Lord, who doeth these things,

¹⁸which were known from the beginning."

¹⁹Wherefore my judgment is, that we should not trouble those who from among the gentiles are turning to God;

²⁰but that we should write to them by letter to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from that which hath been strangled, and from blood.

²¹For Moses from the times of old hath had in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.

²²Then it was decided by the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among themselves, and send them to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.

²³And they wrote by them, "The apostles, and the elders, and the brethren, to the brethren who are from the gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting.

²⁴Whereas we have heard, that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no command;

²⁵it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to choose men and send them to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

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

²⁷We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who will themselves tell you the same things by word of mouth.

²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to lay upon you no further burden except these necessary things:

²⁹to abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye will do well. Farewell."

³⁰They therefore being sent away came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.

³¹And when they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.

³²And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them.

³³And when they had remained some time, they were dismissed with peace from the brethren to those who sent them.

³⁵But Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and publishing, with many others also, the glad tidings of the word of the Lord.

³⁶And some days after, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go again and visit the brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are.

³⁷And Barnabas determined to take with them John, called Mark.

³⁸But Paul did not think it proper to take with them a man who had left them in Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

³⁹And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted from each other, and Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.

⁴⁰And Paul chose Silas and went forth, having been commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

⁴¹And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

Acts 15

¹And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

²When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

³And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

⁴And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

⁵But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

⁶And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

⁷And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

⁸And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

⁹And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

¹⁰Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

¹¹But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

¹²Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

¹³And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

¹⁴Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

¹⁵And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

¹⁶After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

¹⁷That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

¹⁸Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

¹⁹Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

²⁰But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

²¹For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

²²Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

²³And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

²⁴Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

²⁵It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

²⁶Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁷We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

²⁹That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

³⁰So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

³¹Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

³²And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

³³And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.

³⁴Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

³⁵Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

³⁶And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.

³⁷And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.

³⁸But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

³⁹And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

⁴⁰And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.