Acts 15
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New American Standard Bible 1995New International Version
1Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."1Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved."
2And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
3Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad.
4When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses."5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses."
6The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.6The apostles and elders met to consider this question.
7After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
8"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.
9and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
10"Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?
11"But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
12All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
13After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Brethren, listen to me.13When they finished, James spoke up. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me.
14"Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.14Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.
15"With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16'AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT,16"'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
17SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,'17that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' --
18SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.18things known from long ago.
19"Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,19"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
20but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
21"For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath."21For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."
22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas-- Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.
23and they sent this letter by them, "The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.23With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.
24"Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.
25it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul--
26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27"Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.
28"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:
29that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."29You are to 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.
30So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.30So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.
31When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.
32Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.
33After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out.33After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.
34But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.34
35But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are."36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing."
37Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,
38But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.
39And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
40But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.
41And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
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Acts 14
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