Paul and Barnabas at Lystra

⁸ Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was ^(A)crippled from birth and had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and ^(B)seeing that he had faith to be made well,^{[a] 10} said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he ^(C)sprang up and began walking. ¹¹ And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, ^(D)“The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” ¹² Barnabas they called ^(E)Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ And the priest of ^(F)Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and ^(G)wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. ¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they ^(H)tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ¹⁵ “Men, ^(I)why are you doing these things? We also are men, ^(J)of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that ^(K)you should turn from these ^(L)vain things to ^(M)a living God, ^(N)who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. ¹⁶ In past generations he ^(O)allowed all the nations ^(P)to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷ Yet ^(Q)he did not leave himself without witness, for he ^(R)did good by ^(S)giving you rains from heaven and ^(T)fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with ^(U)food and ^(V)gladness.” ¹⁸ Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

Paul Stoned at Lystra

^19 (W)But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, ^(X)they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹ When they had preached the gospel to that city and had ^(Y)made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ^22 (Z)strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them ^(AA)to continue in ^(AB)the faith, and saying that ^(AC)through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. ²³ And when they had ^(AD)appointed ^(AE)elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting ^(AF)they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

²⁴ Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, ²⁶ and from there they sailed to Antioch, ^(AG)where they had been ^(AH)commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. ²⁷ And when they arrived and gathered the church together, ^(AI)they declared all that God had done with them, and ^(AJ)how he had ^(AK)opened ^(AL)a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they remained no little time with the disciples.

The Jerusalem Council

15 ^(A)But some men came down from Judea and were teaching ^(B)the brothers, “Unless you are ^(C)circumcised ^(D)according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and ^(E)debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and ^(F)some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to ^(G)the apostles and the elders about this question. ³ So, ^(H)being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(I)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and ^(J)brought great joy to all ^(K)the brothers.^{[a] 4 (L)}When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and ^(M)the apostles and the elders, and ^(N)they declared all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some believers who belonged to ^(O)the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ^(P)“It is necessary ^(Q)to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

^6 (R)The ^(S)apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. ⁷ And after there had been much ^(T)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, ^(U)that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear ^(V)the word of ^(W)the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, ^(X)who knows the heart, ^(Y)bore witness to them, ^(Z)by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁹ and ^(AA)he made no distinction between us and them, ^(AB)having cleansed their hearts ^(AC)by faith. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, why ^(AD)are you putting God to the test ^(AE)by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples ^(AF)that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we ^(AG)believe that we will be ^(AH)saved through ^(AI)the grace of the Lord Jesus, ^(AJ)just as they will.”

¹² And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul ^(AK)as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they finished speaking, ^(AL)James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. ^14 (AM)Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them ^(AN)a people for his name. ¹⁵ And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

¹⁹ Therefore ^(AS)my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who ^(AT)turn to God, ²⁰ but should write to them ^(AU)to abstain from ^(AV)the things polluted by idols, and from ^(AW)sexual immorality, and from ^(AX)what has been strangled, and from ^(AY)blood. ²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, ^(AZ)for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”