As for those who were held in high esteem(A)—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism(B)—they added nothing to my message.(C)

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I went in response to a revelation(A) and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.(B) I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race(C) in vain.

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34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism(A)

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Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

11 I have made a fool of myself,(A) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”[a](B) even though I am nothing.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:11 Or the most eminent apostles

If anyone thinks they are something(A) when they are not, they deceive themselves.(B)

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I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or to the most eminent apostles

11 For God does not show favoritism.(A)

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17 Since you call on a Father(A) who judges each person’s work(B) impartially,(C) live out your time as foreigners(D) here in reverent fear.(E)

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17 Have confidence in your leaders(A) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you(B) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

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21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak(A) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.(B) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I.(C) Are they Israelites? So am I.(D) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.(E) 23 Are they servants of Christ?(F) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,(G) been in prison more frequently,(H) been flogged more severely,(I) and been exposed to death again and again.(J)

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Remember your leaders,(A) who spoke the word of God(B) to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate(C) their faith.

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16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly(A) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

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The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 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.(A) God, who knows the heart,(B) showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,(C) just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them,(D) for he purified their hearts by faith.(E) 10 Now then, why do you try to test God(F) by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke(G) that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace(H) 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(I) God had done among the Gentiles through them.(J) 13 When they finished, James(K) spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.(L) 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

16 “‘After this I will return
    and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
    and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
    even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b](M)
18     things known from long ago.[c](N)

19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols,(O) from sexual immorality,(P) from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.(Q) 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”(R)

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

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

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch,(V) Syria(W) and Cilicia:(X)

Greetings.(Y)

24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.(Z) 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives(AA) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas(AB) to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit(AC) and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.(AD) You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:14 Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter
  2. Acts 15:17 Amos 9:11,12 (see Septuagint)
  3. Acts 15:18 Some manuscripts things’— / 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago

21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.(A)

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14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a] to Caesar or not?

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:14 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens

17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison.(A) He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”(B) 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man.(C) When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[a]; yet he liked to listen to him.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 6:20 Some early manuscripts he did many things

16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.(A) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.

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19 who shows no partiality(A) to princes
    and does not favor the rich over the poor,(B)
    for they are all the work of his hands?(C)

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17 I too will have my say;
    I too will tell what I know.(A)
18 For I am full of words,
    and the spirit(B) within me compels me;(C)
19 inside I am like bottled-up wine,
    like new wineskins ready to burst.(D)
20 I must speak and find relief;
    I must open my lips and reply.(E)
21 I will show no partiality,(F)
    nor will I flatter anyone;(G)
22 for if I were skilled in flattery,
    my Maker(H) would soon take me away.(I)

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So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:

“I am young in years,
    and you are old;(A)
that is why I was fearful,
    not daring to tell you what I know.
I thought, ‘Age should speak;
    advanced years should teach wisdom.’(B)

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James,(A) Cephas[a](B) and John, those esteemed as pillars,(C) gave me and Barnabas(D) the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.(E) They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles,(F) and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor,(G) the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Paul Opposes Cephas

11 When Cephas(H) came to Antioch,(I) I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James,(J) he used to eat with the Gentiles.(K) 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.(L) 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas(M) was led astray.

14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel,(N) I said to Cephas(O) in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew.(P) How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 2:9 That is, Peter; also in verses 11 and 14

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