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.”

¹⁸ The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James,^(A) and all the elders^(B) were present. ¹⁹ Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles^(C) through his ministry.^(D)

²⁰ When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous^(E) for the law.^{(F) 21} They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses,^(G) telling them not to circumcise their children^(H) or live according to our customs.^{(I) 22} What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, ²³ so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.^{(J) 24} Take these men, join in their purification rites^(K) and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved.^(L) Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.

The Jews and the Law

¹⁷ Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;^(A)

¹² For before certain men came from James,^(A) he used to eat with the Gentiles.^(B) But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.^(C)