Acts 15
15
Church Leaders Meet in Jerusalem
1Certain 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.” 2But 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. 3The 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. 4When 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.
5Some of the believers were Pharisees. They stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised. They must obey the law of Moses.”
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After they had talked it over, Peter got up and spoke to them. “Brothers,” he said, “you know that some time ago God chose me. He appointed me to take the good news to the Gentiles. He wanted them to hear the good news and believe. 8God knows the human heart. By giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, he showed that he accepted them. He did the same for them as he had done for us. 9God showed that there is no difference between us and them. That’s because he made their hearts pure because of their faith. 10Now then, why are you trying to test God? You test him when you put a heavy load on the shoulders of Gentiles. Our people of long ago couldn’t carry that load. We can’t either. 11No! We believe we are saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus. The Gentiles are saved in the same way.”
12Everyone became quiet as they listened to Barnabas and Paul. They were telling about the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14Simon Peter has explained to us what God has now done. He has chosen some of the Gentiles to be among his very own people. 15The prophets’ words agree with that. They say,
16“ ‘After this I will return
and set up again David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild what was destroyed.
I will make it what it used to be.
17Then everyone else can look to the Lord.
This includes all the Gentiles who belong to me, says the Lord.
The Lord is the one who does these things.’ (Amos 9:11,12)
18The Lord does things that have been known from long ago.
19“Now here is my decision. We should not make it hard for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Here is what we should write to them. They must not eat food that has been made impure by being offered to statues of gods. They must not commit sexual sins. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not drink blood. 21These laws of Moses have been preached in every city from the earliest times. They are read out loud in the synagogues every Sabbath day.”
A Letter Is Written to Gentile Believers
22Then 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. 23Here 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.
24We 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. 25So we all agreed to send our dear friends Barnabas and Paul to you. We chose some other men to go with them. 26Barnabas and Paul have put their lives in danger. They did it for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27So we are sending Judas and Silas with them. What they say will agree with this letter. 28Here 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. 29Don’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.
30So the men were sent down to Antioch. There they gathered the church together. They gave the letter to them. 31The people read it. They were glad for its message of hope. 32Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to give strength and hope to the believers. 33-34Judas 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. 35Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch. There they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Do Not Agree
36Some time later Paul spoke to Barnabas. “Let’s go back to all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord,” he said. “Let’s visit the believers and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. 38But Paul didn’t think it was wise to take him. Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia. He hadn’t continued with them in their work. 39Barnabas and Paul strongly disagreed with each other. So they went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas. The believers asked the Lord to give his grace to Paul and Silas as they went. 41Paul traveled through Syria and Cilicia. He gave strength to the churches there.
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Acts 15: NIrV
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Acts of Emissaries of Yeshua (Act) 15
15
1But some men came down from Y’hudah to Antioch and began teaching the brothers, “You can’t be saved unless you undergo b’rit-milah in the manner prescribed by Moshe.” 2This brought them into no small measure of discord and dispute with Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba. So the congregation assigned Sha’ul, Bar-Nabba and some of themselves to go and put this sh’eilah before the emissaries and the elders up in Yerushalayim.
3After being sent off by the congregation, they made their way through Phoenicia and Shomron, recounting in detail how the Gentiles had turned to God; and this news brought great joy to all the brothers.
4On arrival in Yerushalayim, they were welcomed by the Messianic community, including the emissaries and the elders; and they reported what God had done through them. 5But some of those who had come to trust were from the party of the P’rushim; and they stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Torah of Moshe.”
6The emissaries and the elders met to look into this matter. 7After lengthy debate, Kefa got up and said to them, “Brothers, you yourselves know that a good while back, God chose me from among you to be the one by whose mouth the Goyim should hear the message of the Good News and come to trust. 8And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness by giving the Ruach HaKodesh to them, just as he did to us; 9that is, he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their heart by trust. 10So why are you putting God to the test now by placing a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we have had the strength to bear? 11No, it is through the love and kindness of the Lord Yeshua that we trust and are delivered — and it’s the same with them.”
12Then the whole assembly kept still as they listened to Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul tell what signs and miracles God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13Ya‘akov broke the silence to reply. “Brothers,” he said, “hear what I have to say. 14Shim‘on has told in detail what God did when he first began to show his concern for taking from among the Goyim a people to bear his name. 15And the words of the Prophets are in complete harmony with this for it is written,
16‘“After this, I will return;
and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David.
I will rebuild its ruins,
I will restore it,
17so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
that is, all the Goyim who have been called by my name,”
18says Adonai, who is doing these things.’
All this has been known for ages.
19“Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Goyim who are turning to God. 20Instead, we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from fornication, from what is strangled and from blood. 21For from the earliest times, Moshe has had in every city those who proclaim him, with his words being read in the synagogues every Shabbat.”
22Then the emissaries and the elders, together with the whole Messianic community, decided to select men from among themselves to send to Antioch with Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba. They sent Y’hudah, called Bar-Sabba, and Sila, both leading men among the brothers, 23with the following letter:
From: The emissaries and the elders, your brothers
To: The brothers from among the Gentiles throughout Antioch, Syria and Cilicia
Greetings!
24We have heard that some people went out from among us without our authorization, and that they have upset you with their talk, unsettling your minds. 25So we have decided unanimously to select men and send them to you with our dear friends Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul, 26who have dedicated their lives to upholding the name of our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. 27So we have sent Y’hudah and Sila, and they will confirm in person what we are writing.
28For it seemed good to the Ruach HaKodesh and to us not to lay any heavier burden on you than the following requirements: 29to abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will be doing the right thing.
Shalom!
30The messengers were sent off and went to Antioch, where they gathered the group together and delivered the letter. 31After reading it, the people were delighted by its encouragement. 32Y’hudah and Sila, who were also prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. 33After they had spent some time there, they were sent off with a greeting of “Shalom!” from the brothers to those who had sent them. 34 35But Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba stayed in Antioch, where they and many others taught and proclaimed the Good News of the message about the Lord.
36After some time, Sha’ul said to Bar-Nabba, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we proclaimed the message about the Lord, and see how they’re doing.” 37Now Bar-Nabba wanted to take with them Yochanan, the one called Mark. 38But Sha’ul thought it would be unwise to take this man with them, since he had gone off and left them in Pamphylia to do the work by themselves. 39There was such sharp disagreement over this that they separated from each other, with Bar-Nabba taking Mark and sailing off to Cyprus.
40However, Sha’ul chose Sila and left, after the brothers had committed him to the love and kindness of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the congregations.
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