CHAPTER 15
Then
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.”
So
Paul
and
Barnabas
engaged
these men
in sharp
debate.
The two of them
were appointed,
along with
some
other
believers ,
to go up
to
Jerusalem
to see
the
apostles
and
elders
about
this
question.
Sent on their way
by
the
church,
they
passed through
Phoenicia
and
Samaria,
recounting
the
conversion
of the
Gentiles
and
bringing
great
joy
to all
the
brothers.
On
their arrival
in
Jerusalem,
they were welcomed
by
the
church
and
apostles
and
elders,
to whom
they reported
all that
God
had done
through
them.
But
some
believers
from
the
party
of the
Pharisees
stood up
and declared,
“The Gentiles
must
be circumcised
and
required
to obey
the
Law
of Moses.”
After
much
discussion,
Peter
got up
and said
to
them,
“Brothers,
you
know
that
in
the early
days,
God
made a choice
among
you
that the
Gentiles
would hear
from
my
lips
the
message
of the
gospel
and
believe.
And
God,
who
knows the heart,
showed His approval
by giving
the
Holy
Spirit
to them,
just
as
He did to us.
Now
then,
why
do you test
God
by placing
on
the
necks
of the
disciples
a yoke
that
neither
we
nor
our
fathers
have been able
to bear?
On the contrary,
we believe
it is through
the
grace
of
the Lord
Jesus
that we are saved,
just as
they are.”
The
whole
assembly
fell silent
as they
listened to
Barnabas
and
Paul
describing
the
signs
and
wonders
God
had done
among
the
Gentiles
through
them.
‘After
this
I will return
and
rebuild
David’s
fallen
tent.
Its
ruins
I will rebuild,
and
I will restore it,
so that
the
remnant
of men
may seek
the
Lord,
and
all
the
Gentiles
who
bear
My
name,
says
the Lord
who does
these things
It is my
judgment,
therefore,
that we should not cause trouble for
the
Gentiles
who are turning
to
God.
Instead,
we should write
and tell them
to abstain from
food
polluted
by idols,
from
sexual immorality,
from
the
meat of strangled animals,
and
from
blood.
For
Moses
has
been proclaimed
in every
city
from
ancient
times
and is read
in
the
synagogues
on
every
Sabbath.”
Then
the
apostles
and
elders,
with
the
whole
church,
decided
to select
men
from among
them
to send
to
Antioch
with
Paul
and
Barnabas.
They chose Judas
called
Barsabbas
and
Silas,
two leaders
among
the
brothers,
and sent them with
this letter:
“The
apostles
and
the
elders,
your brothers,
To the
brothers
among
the Gentiles
in
Antioch,
Syria,
and
Cilicia:
Greetings.
It has come to our attention
that
some
went out
from
us
without our authorization
and unsettled
your
minds
by what they said.
Therefore
we are sending
Judas
and
Silas
to tell you
in person
the
same things we are writing you.
It seemed good
to the
Holy
Spirit
and
to us
not
to burden
you
with anything beyond
these
essential requirements:
You must abstain
from food sacrificed to idols,
from blood,
from the meat of strangled animals,
and
from sexual immorality.
You will do
well
to avoid
these things.
Farewell.”
So
the men
were sent off
and went down
to
Antioch,
where
they assembled
the
congregation
and delivered
the
letter.
Judas
and
Silas,
who
themselves
were
prophets,
said much
to encourage
and
strengthen
the
brothers.
After spending
some time there,
they were sent off
by
the
brothers
in
peace
to return to
those who
had sent
them.
But
Paul
and
Barnabas
remained
at
Antioch,
along with
many
others,
teaching
and
preaching
the
word
of the
Lord.
Some
time
later
Paul
said
to
Barnabas,
“Let us go back
and visit
the
brothers
in
every
town
where
we proclaimed
the
word
of the
Lord,
to see how
they are doing."
But
Paul
thought it best
not
to take
him,
because he
had deserted
them
in
Pamphylia
and
had not accompanied
them
in
the
work.
Their disagreement was so sharp
that
they
parted
company.
Barnabas
took
Mark
and sailed
for
Cyprus,