Acts 15:12-41

New King James Version

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

¹⁶‘After^(D) 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;
¹⁷So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
Says the ^[b]Lord who does all these things.’

¹⁸^[c]“Known to God from eternity are all His works. ¹⁹Therefore ^(E)I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who ^(F)are turning to God, ²⁰but that we ^(G)write to them to abstain ^(H)from things polluted by idols, ^(I)from ^[d]sexual immorality, ^(J)from things strangled, and from blood. ²¹For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, ^(K)being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

The Jerusalem Decree

²²Then 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 ^(L)Barsabas,^[e] and Silas, leading men among the brethren.

²³They 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.

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

Farewell.

Continuing Ministry in Syria

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

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

Division over John Mark

³⁶Then 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.” ³⁷Now Barnabas ^[k]was determined to take with them ^(W)John called Mark. ³⁸But Paul insisted that they should not take with them ^(X)the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to ^(Y)Cyprus; ⁴⁰but Paul chose Silas and departed, ^(Z)being ^[l]commended by the brethren to the grace of God. ⁴¹And he went through Syria and Cilicia, ^(AA)strengthening the churches.