Rejection at Nazareth

6 He^(A) left there and came to his hometown,^(B) and his disciples^(C) followed him. ² When the Sabbath^(D) came, he began to teach^(E) in the synagogue,^(F) and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdom^(G) that has been given to him, and how are these miracles^(H) performed by his hands? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter,^(I) the son of Mary,^(J) and the brother of James,^(K) Joses, Judas,^(L) and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended^(M) by him.

A House Divided

²⁰ Jesus entered a house, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat.^{[a] 21} When his family^(A) heard this, they set out to restrain him, because they said, “He’s out of his mind.”^(B)

The Unbelief of Jesus’s Brothers

7 After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee,^(A) since he did not want to travel in Judea^(B) because the Jews^(C) were trying to kill him.^{(D) 2} The Jewish Festival of Shelters^[a](E) was near. ³ So his brothers^(F) said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples can see your works^(G) that you are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵ (For not even his brothers believed in him.)

³ For I passed on to you^(A) as most important what I also received: that Christ died^(B) for our sins according to the Scriptures,^{(C) 4} that he was buried,^(D) that he was raised on the third day^(E) according to the Scriptures,^{(F) 5} and that he appeared to Cephas,^(G) then to the Twelve.^{(H) 6} Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time;^(I) most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James,^(J) then to all the apostles.^(K)

Dispute in Antioch

15 Some men^(A) came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised^(B) according to the custom prescribed by Moses,^(C) you cannot be saved.” ² After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue.^{(D) 3} When they had been sent on their way by the church,^(E) they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers and sisters.

⁴ When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.^{(F) 5} But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

The Jerusalem Council

⁶ The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. ⁷ After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you,^[a] that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us.^{(G) 9} He made no distinction between us and them,^(H) cleansing their hearts by faith.^{(I) 10} Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks^(J) that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace^(K) of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”

¹² The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.^{(L) 13} After they stopped speaking, James responded, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simeon^[b] has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name.^{(M) 15} And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:

¹⁹ Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰ but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality,^(O) from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”^(P)

Greeting

1 James,^(A) a servant of God^(B) and of the Lord Jesus Christ:

To the twelve tribes^(C) dispersed abroad.^[a](D)

Greetings.^(E)

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,^{(A) 20} for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. ²¹ Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent,^[a] humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.^(B)

²² But^(C) be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face^[b] in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. ²⁵ But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works—this person will be blessed in what he does.^(D)

²⁶ If anyone^[c] thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue,^(E) his religion is useless and he deceives himself. ²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows^(F) in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.^(G)