Gevurot 15
Orthodox Jewish Bible
15 And some men came down from Yehudah to Syrian Antioch and were teaching the Achim b’Moshiach that if you lack the bris milah as prescribed by Moshe Rabbenu, it is impossible for you to come to Yeshu’at Eloheinu.
2 Now this brought them into a dispute and a debate of no little proportion with Rav Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba, who were appointed to go up with some others from them to bring this she’elah (question) before the Moshiach’s Shlichim and Zekenim in Yerushalayim.
3 Then having been sent on their way by the Kehillah, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Shomron telling in detail how the Nations were turning to Hashem and they were bringing great simcha to all the Achim b’Moshiach.
4 And having come to Yerushalayim, they were there received by Moshiach’s Kehillah and the Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Zekenim, and they reported what things Hashem had done with them.
5 But some of the ma’aminim hameshichiyim from the kat of the Perushim rose up, saying, "It is necessary to give the Goyim the bris milah and to command them to be shomer mitzvot, keeping the Torah of Moshe Rabbenu."
6 And the Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Zekenim were gathered together as a council to consider this matter.
7 And after much deliberation had taken place, Moshiach’s Shliach Shimon Kefa got up. Kefa said to them, "Anashim, Achim b’Moshiach, you have da’as that in the early days Hashem chose that among you I would be the one and through my mouth the Goyim would hear the dvar Hashem of the Besuras HaGeulah and would come to emunah [in the Orthodox Jewish faith].
8 "And the One who has da’as of levavot, Hashem, bore solemn edut and stood as their witness, having given the non-Jews the Ruach Hakodesh just as Hashem did also to us Jews [Acts 2:4; 10:46; 11:15-16].
9 "And in making tehorot their levavot by emunah, in this respect Hashem did not differentiate between us Jews and those non-Jews.
10 "Therefore, now why are you testing Hashem by laying an ol (yoke) upon the neck of the talmidim which neither Avoteinu nor we were able to bear? [Dt 9:5-6; Jer 31:31-34]
11 "On the contrary, Anu Ma’aminim (We believe) that we Jews come to Yeshu’at Eloheinu by the Chen v’Chesed Hashem of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu in the same Derech Hashem as those non-Jews do also." [Ro 3:9,30; Ga.3:12-13; Isa 53:9-12; Pp.3:9; Dt 9:4-6; Lk 18:11-12]
12 And then all the multitude was silent and they were listening to Bar-Nabba and Rav Sha’ul describing what otot and moftim Hashem did among the Nations through them.
13 And after Rav Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba fell silent, Moshiach’s Shliach Ya’akov [see p.848] responded, saying, "Anashim, Achim b’Moshiach, listen to me.
14 "Shimon explained how Hashem first concerned Himself to receive from the Nations a people for SHMO [ZECHARYAH 6:12].
15 "And this is in agreement with the dvarim of the Nevi’im, just as it has been written,
16 ‘After these things I will return and AKIM ES SUKKAT DOVID HANOFELET VHARISOTAV AKIM U’VENITIHA ("I will restore the tent of Dovid which has fallen and the things having been torn down of it I will rebuild and I will restore it"),
17 “So that the she’erit (remnant) of anashim might seek Hashem and all the GOYIM who are called by my Name,
18 “Says the L-rd, who makes these things known from long ago. [Amos 9:11f Targum HaShivim, 12; Jer 12:15; Isa 45:21]
19 "Therefore, it is my judgment not to trouble the ones from the Goyim turning in teshuva to Hashem,
20 "But to write to them to keep away from the pollution of elilim and of zenut and of the thing strangled and of dahm. [Lv 3:17; 7:26; 17:10 13; 19:26; Dt 12:16,23]
21 "For Moshe Rabbenu from ancient dorot in every shtetl has his maggidim and in the shuls every Shabbos he has been read."
22 Then it was mekabel (received) by the Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Zekenim with the entire Kehillah to choose anashim from them to send to Syrian Antioch with Rav Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba, also Yehudah called Bar-Sabba, and Sila, all manhigim among the Achim b’Moshiach,
23 With the following iggeret: "From the Achim b’Moshiach, Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Zekenim: to the Achim b’Moshiach throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, to those from among the Nations, Shalom!
24 "Vi-bahlt (since) we heard that certain men had gone out from us, though not having any directives from us, and have given you mitzvot with dvarim unsettling your nefashot (souls),
25 "It was mekabel to us, having come to achdus in mind and having chosen anashim to send to you, along with our beloved chaverim Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul
26 "Anashim who have imperiled their lives for haShem of Moshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua
27 "Therefore we have sent Yehudah and Sila, and they too will confirm us in person by word of mouth.
28 "For it was mekabel to the Ruach Hakodesh and to us to lay no heavier burden upon you who are from the Nations except these necessary things:
29 "That you non-Jewish ma’aminim hameshichiyim keep away from meat sacrificed to elilim, and dahm, and what is strangled, and zenut. If you are shomer to avoid these, you will do well. Shalom!"
30 Therefore, having been dismissed, they went down to Syrian Antioch, and having gathered together the multitude, they delivered the iggeret.
31 And having read it, there was a response of simcha gedolah at the exhortation.
32 Both Yehudah and Sila, being themselves nevi’im hameshichiyim also, with many dvarim comforted the Achim b’Moshiach and gave them chizzuk.
33 And after they had spent considerable time, they were dismissed with shalom from the Achim b’Moshiach and sent back to the ones having dispatched them. [1Sm 1:17]
34 [Notwithstanding it seemed tov to Sila to remain there.]
35 And Rav Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba were staying in Syrian Antioch saying shiurim and drashot with also many others, the content of these being the dvar Hashem.
36 And after some yamim Rav Sha’ul said to Bar-Nabba, "Let’s return, then, and visit the Achim b’Moshiach throughout every city in which we proclaimed the dvar Hashem to see how they are doing."
37 And Bar-Nabba was deciding to take along also Yochanan called Markos.
38 But Rav Sha’ul was insisting not to take along this one, the one having withdrawn from them from Pamphylia, not having gone with them to the avodas kodesh ministry of the Moshiach’s Shlichus.
39 And there was a sharp disagreement so that they were separated from one another, and Bar-Nabba took Markos and sailed away to Cyprus.
40 And Rav Sha’ul chose Sila and departed, having been commended to the Chen v’Chesed Hashem by the Achim b’Moshiach.
41 And they were traveling through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the Moshiach’s Kehillot.
Acts 15
New Testament for Everyone
Is circumcision necessary?
15 Some people came from Judaea to Antioch and, on arrival, began to teach the Christians that they could not be saved unless they were circumcised according to the custom of Moses. 2 This caused considerable uproar and dispute between them and Paul and Barnabas, and the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas, and some others from their fellowship, to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, to try to sort out the problem. 3 So they were sent off by the church. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling people as they went about the conversion of the Gentiles. They brought great joy to the Christian communities.
4 When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church, the apostles and the elders, and they told them all the things that God had done with them. 5 But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up.
“They must be circumcised,” they said, “and you must tell them to keep the law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and elders gathered together to see what to do about this matter. 7 After considerable argument, Peter got up.
“My brothers,” he said, “you know that from our early days together God chose that it should be from my mouth that the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness, by giving them the holy spirit just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, but he purified their hearts through faith. 10 So now, why are you putting God to the test, by placing a yoke on the disciples’ neck which neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 Rather, we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we shall be saved, just like them.”
The judgment of James
12 The whole company was silent, and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders which God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they had finished, James replied.
“My dear brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Symeon has explained how, at the beginning, God graciously favored the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his own name. 15 This, indeed, is in accordance with the words of the prophets, which say,
16 After this I will return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which had collapsed,
and I will build the ruins again, and set them straight,
17 so that the rest of the human race may seek the Lord,
and all the nations upon whom my name has been called.
Thus says the Lord, who has made these things 18 known from of old.
19 “Therefore this is my judgment: we should not cause extra difficulties for those of the Gentiles who have turned to God. 20 Rather, we should send them a message, warning them to keep away from things that have been polluted by idols, from fornication, from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 Moses, after all, has from ancient times had people proclaiming him from city to city, since he is read in the synagogues sabbath after sabbath.”
The letter to the churches
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole assembly, decided to send people from their number, Judas Barsabbas and Silas (men well thought of by the Christian community) to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. 23 They sent a letter with them, which read as follows.
“The apostles and elders send greetings to our Gentile brothers and sisters in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. 24 Since we have heard that some of our number (not, however, sent by us) have been saying things which have troubled you, causing you distress of heart, 25 we resolved unanimously that it would be best to send to you men whom we have chosen, together with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. 27 So we have sent Judas and Silas, and they will tell you the same things face to face. 28 For it seemed good to the holy spirit and to us not to lay any burden on you beyond the following necessary things: 29 that you should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled, and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
30 So they went off and came down to Antioch, where they gathered the people together and presented the letter. 31 When they read it, they were delighted with the message it contained. 32 Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, said a good deal to encourage the brothers and sisters, and they gave them strength. 33 When they had spent some time there, they left the family in peace and returned to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others as well.
A huge row
36 After some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in all the various cities where we preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.”
37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them. 38 But Paul reckoned that it was not a good idea to take with them someone who had left them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the rest of the work. 39 There was a huge row, which resulted in them splitting up. Barnabas took Mark and sailed off for Cyprus. 40 Paul chose Silas, and went off, having been commended by the church to the grace of the Lord. 41 They went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
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Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
