Acts 15
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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."1While 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.”
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.2Paul 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.
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.3The 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.
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.4When 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.
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."5But 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.”
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question.6So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.
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.7At 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.
8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.8God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.9He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.
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?10So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?
11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."11We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”
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.12Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
13When they finished, James spoke up. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me.13When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me.
14Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.14Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.
15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:15And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:
16"'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,16‘Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it,
17that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' --17so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD, including the Gentiles— all those I have called to be mine. The LORD has spoken—
18things known from long ago.18he who made these things known so long ago.’
19"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.19“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
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.20Instead, 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.
21For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."21For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.” The Letter for Gentile Believers
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.22Then 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.
23With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.23This 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!
24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.24“We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them!
25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul--25So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.26who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.27We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.
28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:28“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:
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.29You 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.”
30So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.30The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter.
31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.31And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.
32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.32Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith.
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.33They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace.
3434
35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.35Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there. Paul and Barnabas Separate
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."36After 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.”
37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,37Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.
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.38But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.
39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,39Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.
40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.40Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.
41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.41Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.
New International Version (NIV)

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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Acts 14
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