Acts, 15

1. Then some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, 'Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved.'

1. And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, [and said], Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

2. This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the question with the apostles and elders.

2. When 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.

3. The members of the church saw them off, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they told how the gentiles had been converted, and this news was received with the greatest satisfaction by all the brothers.

3. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

4. When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church and by the apostles and elders, and gave an account of all that God had done through them.

4. And 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.

5. But certain members of the Pharisees' party who had become believers objected, insisting that gentiles should be circumcised and instructed to keep the Law of Moses.

5. But 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.

6. The apostles and elders met to look into the matter,

6. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7. and after a long discussion, Peter stood up and addressed them. 'My brothers,' he said, 'you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the gentiles were to learn the good news from me and so become believers.

7. 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. And God, who can read everyone's heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us.

8. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as [he did] unto us;

9. God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith.

9. And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10. Why do you put God to the test now by imposing on the disciples the very burden that neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were strong enough to support?

10. Now 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?

11. But we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.'

11. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

12. The entire assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had worked through them among the gentiles.

12. Then 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.

13. When they had finished it was James who spoke. 'My brothers,' he said, 'listen to me.

13. And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men [and] brethren, hearken unto me:

14. Simeon has described how God first arranged to enlist a people for his name out of the gentiles.

14. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

15. This is entirely in harmony with the words of the prophets, since the scriptures say:

15. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16. After that I shall return and rebuild the fallen hut of David; I shall make good the gaps in it and restore it.

16. 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:

17. Then the rest of humanity, and of all the nations once called mine, will look for the Lord, says the Lord who made this

17. That 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.

18. known so long ago.

18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

19. 'My verdict is, then, that instead of making things more difficult for gentiles who turn to God,

19. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

20. we should send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from illicit marriages, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.

20. But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood.

21. For Moses has always had his preachers in every town and is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.'

21. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

22. Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose delegates from among themselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas, known as Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men in the brotherhood,

22. Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; [namely], Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

23. and gave them this letter to take with them: 'The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings to the brothers of gentile birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.

23. And 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 Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

24. We hear that some people coming from here, but acting without any authority from ourselves, have disturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds;

24. Forasmuch 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:

25. and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with our well-beloved Barnabas and Paul,

25. It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26. who have committed their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

26. Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27. Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written.

27. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell [you] the same things by mouth.

28. It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to impose on you any burden beyond these essentials:

28. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

29. you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from illicit marriages. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.'

29. That 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.

30. The party left and went down to Antioch, where they summoned the whole community and delivered the letter.

30. So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

31. The community read it and were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.

31. [Which] when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

32. Judas and Silas, being themselves prophets, spoke for a long time, encouraging and strengthening the brothers.

32. And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed [them].

33. These two spent some time there, and then the brothers wished them peace andwent back to those who had sent them.

33. And after they had tarried [there] a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.

34.

34. Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

35. Paul and Barnabas, however, stayed on in Antioch, and there with many others they taught and proclaimed the good news, the word of the Lord.

35. Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

36. On a later occasion Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord, so that we can see how they are doing.'

36. And 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.

37. Barnabas suggested taking John Mark,

37. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.

38. but Paul was not in favour of taking along the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had refused to share in their work.

38. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

39. There was sharp disagreement so that they parted company, and Barnabas sailed off with Mark to Cyprus.

39. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

40. Before Paul left, he chose Silas to accompany him and was commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

40. And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

41. He travelled through Syria and Cilicia, consolidating the churches.

41. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.