Book of Common Prayer

15 ¹ And certain ones having come down from Judea were teaching the brothers that “Unless you are circumcised by the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved”. ² And no small dispute and debate by Paul and Barnabas with them having taken place, they^[a] appointed^[b] Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this issue. ³ So indeed the ones, having been sent-forward by the church, were going through both Phoenicia and Samaria describing-in-detail the conversion^[c] of the Gentiles. And they were producing great joy in all the brothers. ⁴ And having arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders. And they reported all-that God did with them. ⁵ But some of the ones from the sect of the Pharisees having believed^[d] stood-up-out-of the assembly, saying that “It-is-necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses”.

Peter Says That Both Jews And Gentiles Are Saved By Grace And Faith, Not By The Law

⁶ And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. ⁷ And much debate having taken place, Peter, having stood up, said to them, “Men, brothers, you know that from the old^[e] days God made-a-choice among you that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the good-news and believe. ⁸ And God, the heart-knower, testified^[f]— having given the Holy Spirit to them, just as also to us. ⁹ And He made no distinction between both us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Therefore^[g] why are you now testing God by laying a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ Rather, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in accordance with the way those also are saved ”.

James Quotes The Prophets To Show That It Is God’s Plan To Save The Gentiles

¹² And the whole assembly was silent. And they were listening-to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders that God did through them among the Gentiles.

I Came To Cause Division On Earth, Not To Bring It Peace

⁴⁹ “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism to be baptized; and how I am held^[a] by it until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you think that I came^[b] to grant peace on earth? No, I say to you, but rather division! ⁵² For from now on, there^[c] will be five in one house having been divided— three against two, and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided— father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law”.

Read The Signs of The Times. Judge For Yourselves

⁵⁴ And He was also saying to the crowds, “Whenever you see the cloud rising in the west, immediately you say that ‘A rainstorm is coming’, and so it happens. ⁵⁵ And whenever a south wind is blowing, you say that ‘There will be burning-heat’, and it happens. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You know-how to test the appearance of the earth and the heaven, but how is it you do not know-how to test this time?