Acts 15
15
The Council at Jerusalem
1 #
Lev 12.3. And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phoeni´cia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 4And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 5But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7#Acts 10.1-43. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8#Acts 10.44; Acts 2.4. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
12Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. 13And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16 #
Amos 9.11,12. After this I will return,
and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down;
and I will build again the ruins thereof,
and I will set it up:
17that the residue of men might seek after the Lord,
and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
18Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20#Exod 34.15-17; Lev 18.6-23; Lev 17.10-16. but that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
22Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to An´ti-och with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23and they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in An´ti-och and Syria and Cili´cia: 24Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment: 25it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
30So when they were dismissed, they came to An´ti-och: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 31which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. 33And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.#15.34 This verse is not found in all early manuscripts. 35Paul also and Barnabas continued in An´ti-och, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Paul Separates from Barnabas and Begins the Second Missionary Journey
36And some days after, Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. 37And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38#Acts 13.13. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphyl´i-a, and went not with them to the work. 39And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; 40and Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41And he went through Syria and Cili´cia, confirming the churches.
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Acts 15: KJVAAE
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.
Acts 15
15
Conflict over Circumcision
1And #Gal. 2:12certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, #John 7:22; Acts 15:5; Gal. 5:2; Phil. 3:2; (Col. 2:8, 11, 16)“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that #Gal. 2:1Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
3So, #Acts 20:38; 21:5; Rom. 15:24; 1 Cor. 16:6, 11; 2 Cor. 1:16; Titus 3:13; 3 John 6being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, #Acts 14:27; 15:4, 12describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. 4And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. 5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
The Jerusalem Council
6Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: #Acts 10:20“Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8So God, #1 Chr. 28:9; Acts 1:24who knows the heart, acknowledged them by #Acts 2:4; 10:44, 47giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9#Rom. 10:12and made no distinction between us and them, #Acts 10:15, 28purifying their hearts by faith. 10Now therefore, why do you test God #Matt. 23:4; Gal. 5:1by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11But #Rom. 3:4; 5:15; 2 Cor. 13:14; (Eph. 2:5–8; Titus 2:11)we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
12Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had #Acts 14:27; 15:3, 4worked through them among the Gentiles. 13And after they had become silent, #Acts 12:17James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: 14#Acts 15:7; 2 Pet. 1:1Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. 15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
16‘After#Amos 9:11, 12 this I will return
And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will set it up;
17So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
Says the Lord who does all these things.’
18“Known to God from eternity are all His works. 19Therefore #Acts 15:28; 21:25I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who #1 Thess. 1:9are turning to God, 20but that we #Acts 21:25write to them to abstain #Gen. 35:2; Ex. 20:3, 23; Ezek. 20:30; (1 Cor. 8:1; 10:20, 28); Rev. 2:14from things polluted by idols, #(1 Cor. 6:9); Gal. 5:19; Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:3; 1 Pet. 4:3from sexual immorality, #Gen. 9:4; Lev. 3:17; Deut. 12:16; 1 Sam. 14:33from things strangled, and from blood. 21For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, #Acts 13:15, 27; 2 Cor. 3:14being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
The Jerusalem Decree
22Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named #Acts 1:23Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
23They wrote this letter by them:
The apostles, the elders, and the brethren,
To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24Since we have heard that #Acts 15:1; Gal. 2:4; 5:12; Titus 1:10, 11some who went out from us have troubled you with words, #Gal. 1:7; 5:10unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” —to whom we gave no such commandment— 25it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26#Acts 13:50; 14:19; 1 Cor. 15:30; 2 Cor. 11:23–26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29#Acts 15:20; 21:25; Rev. 2:14, 20that you abstain from things offered to idols, #Lev. 17:14from blood, from things strangled, and from #1 Cor. 5:1; 6:18; 7:2; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:3sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.
Farewell.
Continuing Ministry in Syria
30So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. 32Now Judas and Silas, themselves being #Acts 11:27; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11; Rev. 18:20prophets also, #Acts 14:22; 18:23exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. 33And after they had stayed there for a time, they were #Mark 5:34; Acts 16:36; 1 Cor. 16:11; Heb. 11:31sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles.
34However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. 35#Acts 13:1Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Division over John Mark
36Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” 37Now Barnabas was determined to take with them #Acts 12:12, 25; Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24John called Mark. 38But Paul insisted that they should not take with them #Acts 13:13the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to #Acts 4:36; 13:4Cyprus; 40but Paul chose Silas and departed, #Acts 11:23; 14:26being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, #Acts 16:5strengthening the churches.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.