Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁸ But the boy Samuel served the Lord. He wore a sacred linen apron. ¹⁹ Each year his mother made him a little robe. She took it to him when she went up to Shiloh with her husband. She did it when her husband went to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰ Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife. He would say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman. May they take the place of the boy she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. ²¹ The Lord was gracious to Hannah. Over a period of years she had three more sons and two daughters. During that whole time the boy Samuel grew up serving the Lord.

Church Leaders Meet in Jerusalem

15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch. Here is what they were teaching the believers. “Moses commanded you to be circumcised,” they said. “If you aren’t, you can’t be saved.” ² But Paul and Barnabas didn’t agree with this. They argued strongly with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed to go up to Jerusalem. Some other believers were chosen to go with them. They were told to ask the apostles and elders about this question. ³ The church sent them on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria. There they told how the Gentiles had turned to God. This news made all the believers very glad. ⁴ When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church welcomed them. The apostles and elders welcomed them too. Then Paul and Barnabas reported everything God had done through them.

⁵ Some of the believers were Pharisees. They stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised. They must obey the law of Moses.”

A Letter Is Written to Gentile Believers

²² Then the apostles, the elders and the whole church decided what to do. They would choose some of their own men who were leaders among the believers. They would send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. So they chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas. They were leaders among the believers. ²³ Here is the letter they sent with them.

The apostles and elders, your brothers, are writing this letter.

We are sending it to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.

Greetings.

²⁴ We have heard that some of our people came to you and caused trouble. You were upset by what they said. But we had given them no authority to go. ²⁵ So we all agreed to send our dear friends Barnabas and Paul to you. We chose some other men to go with them. ²⁶ Barnabas and Paul have put their lives in danger. They did it for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ So we are sending Judas and Silas with them. What they say will agree with this letter. ²⁸ Here is what seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us. We will not give you a load that is too heavy. So here are a few basic rules. ²⁹ Don’t eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. Don’t drink blood. Don’t eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And don’t commit sexual sins. You will do well to keep away from these things.

Farewell.

³⁰ So the men were sent down to Antioch. There they gathered the church together. They gave the letter to them. ³¹ The people read it. They were glad for its message of hope. ³² Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to give strength and hope to the believers. ^33-34 Judas and Silas stayed there for some time. Then the believers sent them away with the blessing of peace. They sent them back to those who had sent them out. ³⁵ Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch. There they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.