Acts 15
15
The Jerusalem Council
1 And certain ones came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had extended controversy and dispute* with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and certain others from among them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this matter of debate. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, narrating in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers. 4 And when they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of those who had believed from the party of the Pharisees rose up, saying, “It is indispensable to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”
6 Both the apostles and the elders were gathered together to discuss this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them:
“Men and brothers,* you know that in the early days God selected me among you, that through my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel 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. 9 And He made no discrimination between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why are you testing God by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way they also will.”
12 And the whole assembly fell silent, and they began to listen to Barnabas and Paul relating what signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 And when they had ceased speaking, James answered, saying:
“Men and brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited to take a people for His name from the Gentiles. 15 And this accords with the words of the prophets, just as it is written:
16 ‘After these things, I will return,
and I will build up again the tent of David which has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
17 so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
says the Lord,
who makes these things 18 known from ancient times.’*
19 Therefore, I deem it expedient that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but we should write to them* to abstain from the defilements of the idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses from ancient generations has those who preach him in every city, because he is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
22 Then it seemed expedient to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, men who were leaders among the brothers. 23 They wrote as follows:*
The apostles and the elders, brothers,
To the brothers who are from among the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us and troubled you with words, upsetting your minds, to whom we had given no instructions,* 25 it seemed expedient to us, having come to a collective decision, and having chosen men, to send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have imperiled their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, and they will report the same things through word of mouth. 28 For it seemed expedient to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater obligation, except these necessary requirements:* 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these practices,* you will do well. Farewell.
30 So, having been sent off, they came down to Antioch, and when they had gathered together the congregation, they delivered the letter. 31 And when it was read, they rejoiced at the encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with lengthy discourse. 33 And having spent some time, they were sent off in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.* 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36 And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take John called Mark along also, 38 but Paul deemed it fit not to take with them the one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And a sharp disagreement took place, so that they separated from one another. And having taken Mark with him, Barnabas sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and went away, having been committed to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. 41 And he passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Notes
1 Two ancient Greek manuscripts likely copied the phrase of those who had believed from the party of the Pharisees from v. 5 and inserted it into v. 1, resulting in the reading: And some of those who had believed from the party of the Pharisees came down from Judea… .
2 Two ancient Greek manuscripts omit the phrase and dispute
7 Greek Men, brothers. So also v. 13
16-18 Quoted from Amos 9:11-12
20 Greek but to write to them
23 Greek They wrote by their hand
24 Some ancient manuscripts expand this text by including the sentence: saying , You [must] be circumcised and keep the Law
28 Greek things
29 Greek things
34 The earliest manuscripts do not contain v. 34, which reads: But it seemed expedient to Silas to remain there
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Acts 15
15
The Jerusalem Council
1 And certain ones came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had extended controversy and dispute* with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and certain others from among them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this matter of debate. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, narrating in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers. 4 And when they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of those who had believed from the party of the Pharisees rose up, saying, “It is indispensable to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”
6 Both the apostles and the elders were gathered together to discuss this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them:
“Men and brothers,* you know that in the early days God selected me among you, that through my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel 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. 9 And He made no discrimination between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why are you testing God by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way they also will.”
12 And the whole assembly fell silent, and they began to listen to Barnabas and Paul relating what signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 And when they had ceased speaking, James answered, saying:
“Men and brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited to take a people for His name from the Gentiles. 15 And this accords with the words of the prophets, just as it is written:
16 ‘After these things, I will return,
and I will build up again the tent of David which has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
17 so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
says the Lord,
who makes these things 18 known from ancient times.’*
19 Therefore, I deem it expedient that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but we should write to them* to abstain from the defilements of the idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses from ancient generations has those who preach him in every city, because he is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
22 Then it seemed expedient to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, men who were leaders among the brothers. 23 They wrote as follows:*
The apostles and the elders, brothers,
To the brothers who are from among the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us and troubled you with words, upsetting your minds, to whom we had given no instructions,* 25 it seemed expedient to us, having come to a collective decision, and having chosen men, to send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have imperiled their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, and they will report the same things through word of mouth. 28 For it seemed expedient to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater obligation, except these necessary requirements:* 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these practices,* you will do well. Farewell.
30 So, having been sent off, they came down to Antioch, and when they had gathered together the congregation, they delivered the letter. 31 And when it was read, they rejoiced at the encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with lengthy discourse. 33 And having spent some time, they were sent off in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.* 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36 And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take John called Mark along also, 38 but Paul deemed it fit not to take with them the one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And a sharp disagreement took place, so that they separated from one another. And having taken Mark with him, Barnabas sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and went away, having been committed to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. 41 And he passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Notes
1 Two ancient Greek manuscripts likely copied the phrase of those who had believed from the party of the Pharisees from v. 5 and inserted it into v. 1, resulting in the reading: And some of those who had believed from the party of the Pharisees came down from Judea… .
2 Two ancient Greek manuscripts omit the phrase and dispute
7 Greek Men, brothers. So also v. 13
16-18 Quoted from Amos 9:11-12
20 Greek but to write to them
23 Greek They wrote by their hand
24 Some ancient manuscripts expand this text by including the sentence: saying , You [must] be circumcised and keep the Law
28 Greek things
29 Greek things
34 The earliest manuscripts do not contain v. 34, which reads: But it seemed expedient to Silas to remain there
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).