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.” ² 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.

⁴ 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.^(A)

⁵ Then some of the believers who belonged to the party^(B) of the Pharisees^(C) stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”^(D)

⁶ The apostles and elders met to consider this question. ⁷ 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.^{(E) 8} God, who knows the heart,^(F) showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,^(G) just as he did to us. ⁹ He did not discriminate between us and them,^(H) for he purified their hearts by faith.^{(I) 10} Now then, why do you try to test God^(J) by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke^(K) that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace^(L) 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^(M) God had done among the Gentiles through them.^(N)

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then the apostles and elders,^(A) with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch^(B) with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas,^(C) men who were leaders among the believers. ²³ With them they sent the following letter:

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.