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The Council at Jerusalem
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.
The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad.
The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them — much to everyone’s joy — that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.
When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them.
Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.”
The apostles and elders met to consider this question.
So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.
After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe.
God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.
God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.
Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?
No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”
The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.
When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me.
The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:
“ ‘After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD,
including the Gentiles —
all those I have called to be mine.
The LORD has spoken —
including the Gentiles —
all those I have called to be mine.
The LORD has spoken —
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.
For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”
The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.
The Letter for Gentile Believers
Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leadersf — Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas.
With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
This is the letter they took with them:
“This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!
“This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.
“We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them!
So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul —
So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.
We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:
You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
Farewell.
You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”
So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.
The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter.
The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.
And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.
Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.
Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith.
After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.
But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there.
Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
Paul and Barnabas Separate
After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.”
Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,
Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.
but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.
But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.
They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.
but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.
Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.