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.” 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. 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. 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)

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)

The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 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) 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. 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:

16 “‘After this I will return
    and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
    and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
    even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b](Y)
18     things known from long ago.[c](Z)

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:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch,(AH) Syria(AI) and Cilicia:(AJ)

Greetings.(AK)

24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.(AL) 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives(AM) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas(AN) to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit(AO) and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.(AP) You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

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)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:14 Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter
  2. Acts 15:17 Amos 9:11,12 (see Septuagint)
  3. Acts 15:18 Some manuscripts things’— / 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago
  4. Acts 15:34 Some manuscripts include here But Silas decided to remain there.

Olukiiko lw’Abakristaayo mu Yerusaalemi

15 (A)Awo ne wajja abantu abamu abaava mu Buyudaaya ne bayigiriza abooluganda nti, “Ssinga temukomolebwa ng’akalombolombo ka Musa bwe kali temuyinza kulokolebwa.” (B)Pawulo ne Balunabba ne bawakana nnyo nabo ku nsonga eyo ne kisalibwawo nti Pawulo ne Balunabba n’abamu ku bakkiriza ab’omu Antiyokiya, batwale ensonga eyo eri abatume n’abakadde b’Ekkanisa mu Yerusaalemi. (C)Ababaka ne bakwata ery’e Yerusaalemi, ne bayimirirako mu kibuga ky’e Fayiniikiya n’e Samaliya okukyalira abakkiriza mu bibuga ebyo n’okubategeeza ng’Abamawanga bangi bwe baakyuka ne bakkiriza. Ebigambo ebyo ne bisanyusa nnyo abooluganda. (D)Bwe baatuuka mu Yerusaalemi ne baanirizibwa ekkanisa, abatume n’abakadde b’Ekkanisa bonna. Ne babategeeza byonna Katonda bye yabakozesa.

Naye abamu ku bakkiriza, ab’omu kibiina ky’Abafalisaayo, ne basituka ne bagamba nti Abaamawanga bonna abakkiriza bateekwa okukomolebwa nga bwe kiri mu mateeka ga Musa, era n’okugoberera obulombolombo bwonna ng’empisa z’Ekiyudaaya bwe ziragira.

Awo abatume n’abakadde b’Ekkanisa ne bakuŋŋaana bateese ku nsonga eyo. Oluvannyuma nga bateeserezza ebbanga ggwanvu, Peetero n’asituka n’abagamba nti, “Abooluganda, mwenna mumanyi nga Katonda yannonda dda mu mmwe mu nnaku ezaasooka, mbuulire Enjiri mu baamawanga nabo bakkirize. (E)Era Katonda amanyi emitima gy’abantu, yayaniriza Abaamawanga ng’abawa Mwoyo Mutukuvu nga naffe bwe yatumuwa. (F)Teyabasosola kubanga bwe baamala okukkiriza, obulamu bwabwe n’abunaaza ng’obwaffe bwe yabunaaza. 10 (G)Kale kaakano, lwaki mwagala okukema Katonda nga mukakaatika ekikoligo mu bulago bw’abayigirizwa, kye mumanyi nga bajjajjaffe kyabakaluubirira era naffe kitukaluubirira okwetikka? 11 (H)Tukkiriza nti tulokolebwa lwa kisa kya Mukama waffe Yesu, era n’abamawanga bwe batyo bwe balokolebwa.”

12 (I)Ekibiina kyonna ne kisiriikirira ne bawuliriza Balunabba ne Pawulo nga babategeeza eby’amagero n’obubonero Katonda bye yabakozesa nga bali ku mulimu gwe mu baamawanga. 13 (J)Bwe baamala okwogera, Yakobo n’agamba nti, “Abasajja abooluganda, mumpulirize. 14 Simooni abategeezezza ng’okusookera ddala Katonda bwe yakyalira Abaamawanga ne yeeronderamu abo ab’okuweesa erinnya lye ekitiibwa. 15 Era kino kituukiriza bannabbi bye baayogera ng’Ekyawandiikibwa bwe kigamba nti,

16 “ ‘Oluvannyuma lwa bino ndikomawo,
    ne nziddaabiriza ennyumba ya Dawudi eyagwa.
Ndiddaabiriza ebifo ebyamenyebwamenyebwa. Ndigizaawo,
17 (K)n’abantu abalala
    basobole okunoonya Mukama,
era n’abamawanga be nayita okuba abantu bange.
18     Bw’atyo bw’ayogera Mukama, alaga entegeka ye okuviira ddala ku ntandikwa y’ensi.’

19 “Kyenva nsalawo nti, Tetusaana kutikka baamawanga abakkiriza Katonda mugugu munene nga tubawaliriza okukwata obulombolombo bwaffe obw’Ekiyudaaya. 20 (L)Wabula tubawandiikire tubategeeze beewale okulya ennyama eya ssaddaaka eweebwayo eri bakatonda abalala, beewale obwenzi n’okulya ennyama ey’ebisolo ebitugiddwa, era beewale okulya n’omusaayi. 21 (M)Kubanga ebintu byonna biri mu mateeka ga Musa, era bibuulirwa mu makuŋŋaaniro g’Abayudaaya mu buli kibuga buli lunaku lwa Ssabbiiti ebbanga lyonna.”

Ebbaluwa y’Olukiiko eri Abaamawanga Abakkiriza

22 (N)Awo abatume n’abakadde b’Ekkanisa n’abooluganda bonna mu Kkanisa ne bateesa okutuma ababaka bagende ne Pawulo ne Balunabba mu Antiyokiya okubategeeza kye basazeewo. Abasajja abaalondebwa nga bakulembeze mu Kkanisa baali: Yuda (era gwe bayita Balusaba) ne Siira. 23 (O)Ne baweebwa ebbaluwa gye baatwala ng’esoma bw’eti:

Ffe abatume, n’abakadde b’ekkanisa,

Eri abooluganda, mu Antiyokiya yonna ne Siriya ne Kirukiya:

Abooluganda tubalamusizza.

24 (P)Tuwulidde nti abamu ku booluganda baava wano ne bajja eyo nga si ffe tubatumye, ne boogera nammwe ebigambo ebyabatabulatabula mu kukkiriza kwammwe ne bibakeŋŋentereza emitima. 25 Kyetuvudde tuteesa ffenna, era ne tukkiriziganya bumu, okubatumira ababaka baffe bajjire wamu n’abaagalwa baffe, Balunabba ne Pawulo, 26 (Q)abasajja abeewaddeyo okuweereza Mukama waffe Yesu Kristo nga tebabalirira bulamu bwabwe. 27 Tubatumidde Yuda ne Siira bongere okubannyonnyola n’akamwa ebyo ebiri mu bbaluwa eno. 28 (R)Kubanga kwe kuteesa kwa Mwoyo Mutukuvu, era naffe, nga tekisaanira kubatikka migugu gya bwereere egiteetaagibwa, wabula musaana okugoberera bino: 29 (S)Mwewalenga ennyama ettiddwa olw’okuweebwayo eri bakatonda abalala, mwewalenga n’okulya omusaayi, era n’ennyama ey’ebisolo ebitugiddwa, era mwewalenga obwenzi. Bwe muneegendereza ne mwewala ebintu ebyo, munaaba mukoze bulungi.

Mweraba.

30 Awo abaatumibwa ne basitula ne bagenda mu Antiyokiya, ne bakuŋŋaanya ekibiina ky’abakkiriza ne babakwasa ebbaluwa eyo. 31 Bwe baagisoma, essanyu ne liba jjitirivu mu Kkanisa yonna olw’ebyo ebyagirimu. 32 Awo Yuda ne Siira, olwokubanga baali bannabbi, ne boogerera ebbanga ggwanvu nga bakubiriza abooluganda okunyweza okukkiriza kwabwe. 33 (T)Awo Yuda ne Siira ne bamalayo ennaku ntonotono ne basiibula okuddayo eri abaabatuma. Abooluganda ne babatuma okulamusa abali mu Yerusaalemi n’okubeebaza olw’obubaka bwe baabaweereza. 34 Naye Siira n’asalawo okusigalayo. 35 (U)Pawulo ne Balunabba ne babeera mu Antiyokiya okumala ebbanga nga bakolera wamu n’abalala nga babuuliira Enjiri era n’okuyigiriza.

Pawulo ne Balunabba Baawukana

36 (V)Awo nga wayiseewo ennaku Pawulo n’agamba Balunabba baddeyo mu bibuga gye baabuulira Enjiri, bagende nga bakyalira abooluganda, balabe nga bwe bali. 37 (W)Balunabba n’akkiriza, wabula n’ayagala ne Yokaana Makko agende nabo. 38 (X)Naye Pawulo ekyo n’atakyagala, kubanga Makko yabaawukanako n’abaleka e Panfuliya ng’omulimu ogwabatwala tebannagumaliriza. 39 Ne balemwa okukkiriziganya mu nsonga eyo, n’ekyavaamu kwe kwawukana. Balunabba n’atwala Makko ne basaabala ku nnyanja okulaga mu Kupulo. 40 (Y)Pawulo n’alonda Siira, abooluganda ne bamusabira ekisa kya Mukama mu lugendo lwe. 41 Ne bayita mu Siriya ne mu Kirukiya nga bagenda bagumya ekkanisa.

Conflict over Circumcision

15 And (A)certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, (B)“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that (C)Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

So, (D)being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, (E)describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

The Jerusalem Council

Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: (F)“Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God, (G)who knows the heart, [a]acknowledged them by (H)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, (I)and made no distinction between us and them, (J)purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God (K)by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But (L)we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus [b]Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had (M)worked through them among the Gentiles. 13 And after they had [c]become silent, (N)James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 (O)Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:

16 ‘After(P) this I will return
And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will set it up;
17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
Says the [d]Lord who does all these things.’

18 [e]“Known to God from eternity are all His works. 19 Therefore (Q)I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who (R)are turning to God, 20 but that we (S)write to them to abstain (T)from things polluted by idols, (U)from [f]sexual immorality, (V)from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, (W)being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

The Jerusalem Decree

22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named (X)Barsabas,[g] and Silas, leading men among the brethren.

23 They wrote this letter by them:

The apostles, the elders, and the brethren,

To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:

Greetings.

24 Since we have heard that (Y)some who went out from us have troubled you with words, (Z)unsettling your souls, [h]saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment— 25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one [i]accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 (AA)men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 (AB)that you abstain from things offered to idols, (AC)from blood, from things strangled, and from (AD)sexual[j] immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

Farewell.

Continuing Ministry in Syria

30 So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. 32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being (AE)prophets also, (AF)exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. 33 And after they had stayed there for a time, they were (AG)sent back with greetings from the brethren to [k]the apostles.

34 [l]However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. 35 (AH)Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Division over John Mark

36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” 37 Now Barnabas [m]was determined to take with them (AI)John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them (AJ)the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to (AK)Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, (AL)being [n]commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, (AM)strengthening the churches.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:8 bore witness to
  2. Acts 15:11 NU, M omit Christ
  3. Acts 15:13 stopped speaking
  4. Acts 15:17 NU Lord, who makes these things
  5. Acts 15:18 NU (continuing v. 17) known from eternity (of old).
  6. Acts 15:20 Or fornication
  7. Acts 15:22 NU, M Barsabbas
  8. Acts 15:24 NU omits saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”
  9. Acts 15:25 purpose or mind
  10. Acts 15:29 Or fornication
  11. Acts 15:33 NU those who had sent them
  12. Acts 15:34 NU, M omit v. 34.
  13. Acts 15:37 resolved
  14. Acts 15:40 committed