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耶路撒冷的聚会

15 一些人从犹太来到安提阿,他们教导兄弟们说∶“除非你们按照摩西的规矩,接受割礼,否则你们就不能得到拯救。” 保罗和巴拿巴不同意他们的意见,他们发生了激烈的争辩。保罗、巴拿巴和其他一些人被派到耶路撒冷去,与那里的使徒和长老商讨这个问题。

他们受教会的派遣上路了,他们经过腓尼基和撒玛利亚,无论他们走到哪里,他们都讲述着外族人是怎样归顺上帝的。这使那些地方的兄弟们感到非常高兴。 他们到达耶路撒冷之后,受到了教会、使徒及长老们的欢迎,他们讲述了上帝对他们所做的一切。 法利赛支派的一些耶稣的信徒站起来,说∶“外族人必须接受割礼,必须命令他们遵守摩西的律法。”

使徒们和长老们聚在一起讨论着这个问题。 大家辩论了很久,然后,彼得站起来,对他们说∶“兄弟们,你们知道,在早期,上帝就在你们中间召选了我,让外族人通过我听到福音的信息,并且相信。 洞查所有人心的上帝把圣灵赐给了外族,就如同赐给我们一样,以此来表示他是接受他们的。 上帝对我们和他们一视同仁,用信仰洁净了他们的心。 10 那么,你们为什么要试探上帝,把我们的祖先和我们自己都负担不起的桎梏套在门徒的脖子上呢? 11 不,我们相信通过主耶稣的恩典,我们被救,我们相信他们也会同样被救。

12 整个人群鸦雀无声,他们倾听着巴拿巴和保罗描述上帝通过他们在外族人中所行的神迹和奇事。 13 他们讲完后,雅各说道∶“兄弟们,请听我说。 14 西门描述了上帝首先怎样从外族人中把一个民族收归为自己而表现出他的关心。 15 先知们的话也都与此相符,正如《经》上记载的那样:

16 ‘这之后,我会回来,
我会重建倒塌了的大卫的房屋;
我将重建它的废墟,
把它重盖起来,
17 以便使其他的人类-
所有以我的名义,
受到召唤的外族人。
可以寻找主。
做了这些事的主说。
18 这些事已世代为人所知。’ (A)

19 因此,我的决定是我们不应该为难那些归顺上帝的外族人。 20 相反,我们应该写信给他们,告诉他们:

不要吃被偶像玷污的食物,

不要有不道德的性行为,

不要吃勒死的牲口,

不要喝血。

21 因为自古以来,每逢安息日,在各教会都有人宣读摩西的律法,在各城里都有人宣讲摩西的律法。”

给非犹太信徒的信

22 使徒、长老与全教会的人决定,从他们中间挑选一些男人,派他们和保罗、巴拿巴一起到安提阿去。他们选出犹大(也叫巴撒巴)和西拉,他们在兄弟中是领导人。 23 他们带去的信是这样写的:

“使徒们、这些长老们,你们的兄弟向在安提阿、叙利亚和基利家的外族兄弟们问候!

24 我们听说,我们中有人到你们那里去,他们没从我们这里得到任何指示,他们的话使你们受到干扰和不安,并扰乱了你们的思想, 25 因此我们一致决定,选派一些人与我们亲爱的巴拿巴和保罗一起,到你们那里去, 26 巴拿巴和保罗都是为我们主耶稣基督的名义冒过生命危险的人。 27 因此我们要派犹大和西拉来亲口告诉你们这些事的。 28 圣灵认为你们不应有更多的负担,我们也同意。你们需要做的只是这些事情:

29 你们不可吃祭过偶像的食物、血,以及勒死的动物,不可有不道德的性行为。如果你们杜绝了这些事情,你们就做得很好了。再见。”

30 因此,巴拿巴、保罗、犹大和西拉便被派出去了。他们到了安提阿。他们把教会的人们召集到一起,把信交给了他们。 31 安提阿的信徒们读了信,都为信里的鼓励而感到高兴。 32 犹大和西拉是先知,他们向兄弟说了许多话来鼓舞和加强兄弟们。 33 他们在那儿住了一些日子后,便离开了。他们从兄弟那里领受到了平安的祝福。他们回到了派遣他们的人那里去了。 34  [a]

35 保罗和巴拿巴在安提阿住了一段时间,他们和其他许多人一起,传授福音并教导主的信息。

保罗和巴拿巴分手

36 过了些日子,保罗对巴拿巴说∶“咱们应该回到以前传过主的信息的那些城市去看看兄弟们现在都怎么样了。” 37 巴拿巴想带约翰马可一起去, 38 但是,保罗却认为最好不要带他一起去,因为他在旁非利亚的时候离开了他们,没有继续和他们一起工作。 39 两人进行了一番激烈的争吵,结果保罗和巴拿巴各走各的路。巴拿巴带着马可坐船去了塞浦路斯。 40 保罗选中了西拉,在兄弟们把保罗托付给主的恩典的照料后,也上路了。 41 保罗走遍了叙利亚和基利家,加强了教会的力量。

Footnotes

  1. 使 徒 行 傳 15:34 一些古版本增有34节∶“但是西拉决定呆在那里。”

Church Leaders Meet in Jerusalem

15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch. Here is what they were teaching the believers. “Moses commanded you to be circumcised,” they said. “If you aren’t, you can’t be saved.” But Paul and Barnabas didn’t agree with this. They argued strongly with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed to go up to Jerusalem. Some other believers were chosen to go with them. They were told to ask the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria. There they told how the Gentiles had turned to God. This news made all the believers very glad. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church welcomed them. The apostles and elders welcomed them too. Then Paul and Barnabas reported everything God had done through them.

Some of the believers were Pharisees. They stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised. They must obey the law of Moses.”

The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After they had talked it over, Peter got up and spoke to them. “Brothers,” he said, “you know that some time ago God chose me. He appointed me to take the good news to the Gentiles. He wanted them to hear the good news and believe. God knows the human heart. By giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, he showed that he accepted them. He did the same for them as he had done for us. God showed that there is no difference between us and them. That’s because he made their hearts pure because of their faith. 10 Now then, why are you trying to test God? You test him when you put a heavy load on the shoulders of Gentiles. Our people of long ago couldn’t carry that load. We can’t either. 11 No! We believe we are saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus. The Gentiles are saved in the same way.”

12 Everyone became quiet as they listened to Barnabas and Paul. They were telling about the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon Peter has explained to us what God has now done. He has chosen some of the Gentiles to be among his very own people. 15 The prophets’ words agree with that. They say,

16 “ ‘After this I will return
    and set up again David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild what was destroyed.
    I will make it what it used to be.
17 Then everyone else can look to the Lord.
    This includes all the Gentiles who belong to me, says the Lord.
The Lord is the one who does these things.’ (Amos 9:11,12)
18     The Lord does things that have been known from long ago.

19 “Now here is my decision. We should not make it hard for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Here is what we should write to them. They must not eat food that has been made impure by being offered to statues of gods. They must not commit sexual sins. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not drink blood. 21 These laws of Moses have been preached in every city from the earliest times. They are read out loud in the synagogues every Sabbath day.”

A Letter Is Written to Gentile Believers

22 Then the apostles, the elders and the whole church decided what to do. They would choose some of their own men who were leaders among the believers. They would send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. So they chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas. They were leaders among the believers. 23 Here is the letter they sent with them.

The apostles and elders, your brothers, are writing this letter.

We are sending it to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.

Greetings.

24 We have heard that some of our people came to you and caused trouble. You were upset by what they said. But we had given them no authority to go. 25 So we all agreed to send our dear friends Barnabas and Paul to you. We chose some other men to go with them. 26 Barnabas and Paul have put their lives in danger. They did it for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So we are sending Judas and Silas with them. What they say will agree with this letter. 28 Here is what seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us. We will not give you a load that is too heavy. So here are a few basic rules. 29 Don’t eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. Don’t drink blood. Don’t eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And don’t commit sexual sins. You will do well to keep away from these things.

Farewell.

30 So the men were sent down to Antioch. There they gathered the church together. They gave the letter to them. 31 The people read it. They were glad for its message of hope. 32 Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to give strength and hope to the believers. 33-34 Judas and Silas stayed there for some time. Then the believers sent them away with the blessing of peace. They sent them back to those who had sent them out. 35 Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch. There they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas Do Not Agree

36 Some time later Paul spoke to Barnabas. “Let’s go back to all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord,” he said. “Let’s visit the believers and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. 38 But Paul didn’t think it was wise to take him. Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia. He hadn’t continued with them in their work. 39 Barnabas and Paul strongly disagreed with each other. So they went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas. The believers asked the Lord to give his grace to Paul and Silas as they went. 41 Paul traveled through Syria and Cilicia. He gave strength to the churches there.