ACTS 15:1 And certain persons, having come down from Judaea, taught the brethren, If ye shall not have been circumcised according to the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
ACTS 15:2 A commotion therefore having taken place, and no small discussion on the part of Paul and Barnabas against them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from amongst them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
ACTS 15:3 They therefore, having been set on their way by the assembly, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of [those of] the nations. And they caused great joy to all the brethren.
ACTS 15:4 And being arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly, and the apostles, and the elders, and related all that God had wrought with them.
ACTS 15:5 And some of those who were of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, rose up from among [them], saying that they ought to circumcise them and enjoin them to keep the law of Moses.
ACTS 15:6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.
ACTS 15:7 And much discussion having taken place, Peter, standing up, said to them, Brethren, *ye* know that from the earliest days God amongst you chose that the nations by my mouth should hear the word of the glad tidings and believe.
ACTS 15:8 And the heart-knowing God bore them witness, giving [them] the Holy Spirit as to us also,
ACTS 15:9 and put no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith.
ACTS 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
ACTS 15:11 But we believe that we shall be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner as they also.
ACTS 15:12 And all the multitude kept silence and listened to Barnabas and Paul relating all the signs and wonders which God had wrought among the nations by them.
ACTS 15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, listen to me:
ACTS 15:14 Simon has related how God first visited to take out of [the] nations a people for his name.
ACTS 15:15 And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written:
ACTS 15:16 After these things I will return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which is fallen, and will rebuild its ruins, and will set it up,
ACTS 15:17 so that the residue of men may seek out the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name is invoked, saith [the] Lord, who does these things
ACTS 15:18 known from eternity.
ACTS 15:19 Wherefore *I* judge, not to trouble those who from the nations turn to God;
ACTS 15:20 but to write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
ACTS 15:21 For Moses, from generations of old, has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.
ACTS 15:22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and to the elders, with the whole assembly, to send chosen men from among them with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch, Judas called Barsabas and Silas, leading men among the brethren,
ACTS 15:23 having by their hand written [thus]: The apostles, and the elders, and the brethren, to the brethren who are from among [the] nations at Antioch, and [in] Syria and Cilicia, greeting:
ACTS 15:24 Inasmuch as we have heard that some who went out from amongst us have troubled you by words, upsetting your souls, [saying that ye must be circumcised and keep the law]; to whom we gave no commandment;
ACTS 15:25 it seemed good to us, having arrived at a common judgment, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
ACTS 15:26 men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ACTS 15:27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also will tell you by word [of mouth] the same things.
ACTS 15:28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
ACTS 15:29 to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication; keeping yourselves from which ye will do well. Farewell.
ACTS 15:30 They therefore, being let go, came to Antioch, and having gathered the multitude delivered to [them] the epistle.
ACTS 15:31 And having read it, they rejoiced at the consolation.
ACTS 15:32 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with much discourse, and strengthened them.
ACTS 15:33 And having passed some time [there], they were let go in peace from the brethren to those who sent them.
ACTS 15:34
ACTS 15:35 And Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and announcing the glad tidings, with many others also, of the word of the Lord.
ACTS 15:36 But after certain days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city where we have announced the word of the Lord, [and see] how they are getting on.
ACTS 15:37 And Barnabas proposed to take with [them] John also, called Mark;
ACTS 15:38 but Paul thought it not well to take with them him who had abandoned them, [going back] from Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
ACTS 15:39 There arose therefore very warm feeling, so that they separated from one another; and Barnabas taking Mark sailed away to Cyprus;
ACTS 15:40 but Paul having chosen Silas went forth, committed by the brethren to the grace of God.
ACTS 15:41 And he passed through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the assemblies.