Doxology

²⁴ To him who is able^(A) to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence^(B) without fault^(C) and with great joy— ²⁵ to the only God^(D) our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!^(E) Amen.^(F)

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am^(A) the resurrection and the life.^(B) The one who believes^(C) in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing^(D) in me will never die.^(E) Do you believe this?”

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am^(A) the way^(B) and the truth^(C) and the life.^(D) No one comes to the Father except through me.^(E)

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

3 One day Peter and John^(A) were going up to the temple^(B) at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.^{(C) 2} Now a man who was lame from birth^(D) was being carried to the temple gate^(E) called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg^(F) from those going into the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,^(G) walk.” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping,^(H) and praising God. ⁹ When all the people^(I) saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful,^(J) and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

¹¹ While the man held on to Peter and John,^(K) all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(L) 12} When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,^(M) the God of our fathers,^(N) has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over^(O) to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate,^(P) though he had decided to let him go.^{(Q) 14} You disowned the Holy^(R) and Righteous One^(S) and asked that a murderer be released to you.^{(T) 15} You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.^(U) We are witnesses^(V) of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus,^(W) this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

¹⁷ “Now, fellow Israelites,^(X) I know that you acted in ignorance,^(Y) as did your leaders.^{(Z) 18} But this is how God fulfilled^(AA) what he had foretold^(AB) through all the prophets,^(AC) saying that his Messiah would suffer.^{(AD) 19} Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,^(AE) that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Messiah,^(AF) who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. ²¹ Heaven must receive him^(AG) until the time comes for God to restore everything,^(AH) as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.^{(AI) 22} For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.^{(AJ) 23} Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’^[a](AK)

²⁴ “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets^(AL) who have spoken have foretold these days. ²⁵ And you are heirs^(AM) of the prophets and of the covenant^(AN) God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’^{[b](AO) 26} When God raised up^(AP) his servant, he sent him first^(AQ) to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

The Council at Jerusalem

15 Certain people^(A) came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers:^(B) “Unless you are circumcised,^(C) according to the custom taught by Moses,^(D) you cannot be saved.” ² This 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^(E) to see the apostles and elders^(F) about this question. ³ The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia^(G) and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted.^(H) This news made all the believers very glad. ⁴ When 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.^(I)

⁵ Then some of the believers who belonged to the party^(J) of the Pharisees^(K) stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”^(L)

⁶ The apostles and elders met to consider this question. ⁷ After 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.^{(M) 8} God, who knows the heart,^(N) showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,^(O) just as he did to us. ⁹ He did not discriminate between us and them,^(P) for he purified their hearts by faith.^{(Q) 10} Now then, why do you try to test God^(R) by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke^(S) that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace^(T) of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

¹² The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders^(U) God had done among the Gentiles through them.^{(V) 13} When they finished, James^(W) spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon^[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.^{(X) 15} The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

¹⁹ “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. ²⁰ Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols,^(AA) from sexual immorality,^(AB) from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.^{(AC) 21} For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”^(AD)

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then the apostles and elders,^(AE) with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch^(AF) with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas,^(AG) men who were leaders among the believers. ²³ With them they sent the following letter:

³⁰ So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. ³¹ The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. ³² Judas and Silas,^(AQ) who themselves were prophets,^(AR) said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. ³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace^(AS) to return to those who had sent them. ^{[34] [d] 35} But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached^(AT) the word of the Lord.^(AU)

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns^(AV) where we preached the word of the Lord^(AW) and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,^(AX) with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them^(AY) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas^(AZ) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.^{(BA) 41} He went through Syria^(BB) and Cilicia,^(BC) strengthening the churches.^(BD)

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace^(A) as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.^(B)

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ^(A) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.^(B) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,^(C) who loved me^(D) and gave himself for me.^(E)

⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life,^(A) appears,^(B) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(C)