Acts 15

New American Standard Bible

The Council in Jerusalem

15 ^(A)Some men came down from Judea and began teaching ^(B)the brothers, “Unless you are ^(C)circumcised according to ^(D)the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ²And after Paul and Barnabas had ^[a]a heated argument and ^(E)debate with them, ^(F)the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the ^(G)apostles and elders concerning this issue. ³Therefore, after being ^(H)sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both ^(I)Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(J)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all ^(K)the brothers and sisters. ⁴When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, ^(L)the apostles, and the elders, and they ^(M)reported all that God had done with them. ⁵But some of ^(N)the sect of the ^(O)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to ^(P)circumcise ^[b]them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses.”

⁶^(Q)The apostles and the elders came together to ^[c]look into this ^[d]matter. ⁷After there had been much ^(R)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “^[e]Brothers, you know that ^[f]in the early days ^(S)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of ^(T)the gospel and believe. ⁸And God, ^(U)who knows the heart, testified to them ^(V)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; ⁹and ^(W)He made no distinction between us and them, ^(X)cleansing their hearts by faith. ¹⁰Since this is the case, why are you ^(Y)putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which ^(Z)neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹But we believe that we are saved through ^(AA)the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

¹²All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were ^(AB)relating all the ^(AC)signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’ Judgment

¹³After they stopped speaking, ^[g]^(AD)James responded, saying, “^[h]Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴^(AE)Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles. ¹⁵The words of ^(AF)the Prophets agree with this, just as it is written:

¹⁶‘^(AG)After these things ^(AH)I will return,
And I will rebuild the fallen ^[i]tabernacle of David,
And I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will restore it,
¹⁷^(AI)So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
And all the Gentiles ^[j]^(AJ)who are called by My name,’
¹⁸^(AK)Says the Lord, who ^[k]^(AL)makes these things known from long ago.

¹⁹Therefore, it is ^(AM)my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God, ²⁰but that we write to them that they abstain from ^[l]^(AN)things contaminated by idols, from ^(AO)acts of sexual immorality, from ^(AP)what has been ^[m]strangled, and from blood. ²¹For ^(AQ)from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since ^[n]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

²²Then it seemed good to ^(AR)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to ^(AS)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and ^(AT)Silas, leading men among ^(AU)the brothers, ²³and they ^[o]sent this letter with them:

“^(AV)The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to ^(AW)the brothers and sisters in ^(AX)Antioch, ^(AY)Syria, and ^(AZ)Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: ^(BA)Greetings.

²⁴Since we have heard that ^(BB)some ^[p]of our number to whom we gave no instruction have ^(BC)confused you by their ^[q]teaching, upsetting your souls, ²⁵^(BD)it seemed good to us, having ^[r]become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶men who have ^[s]^(BE)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷Therefore, we have sent ^(BF)Judas and ^(BG)Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸For ^(BH)it seemed good to ^(BI)the Holy Spirit and to ^(BJ)us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: ²⁹that you abstain from ^(BK)things sacrificed to idols, from ^(BL)blood, from ^(BM)things strangled, and from ^(BN)acts of sexual immorality; ^[t]if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

³⁰So when they were sent away, ^(BO)they went down to Antioch; and after gathering the ^[u]congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its ^[v]encouragement. ³²^(BP)Judas and ^(BQ)Silas, also being ^(BR)prophets themselves, ^[w]encouraged and strengthened ^(BS)the brothers and sisters with a lengthy message. ³³After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brothers and sisters ^(BT)in peace to those who had ^(BU)sent them out.^[x] ³⁵But ^(BV)Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and ^(BW)preaching ^(BX)the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Second Missionary Journey

³⁶After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in ^(BY)every city in which we proclaimed ^(BZ)the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷Barnabas wanted to take ^(CA)John, called Mark, along with them also. ³⁸But Paul was of the opinion that they should not take along with them this man who had ^(CB)deserted them ^[y]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹Now it turned into such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took ^(CC)Mark with him and sailed away to ^(CD)Cyprus. ⁴⁰But Paul chose ^(CE)Silas, and left after being ^(CF)entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹And he was traveling through ^(CG)Syria and ^(CH)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.