15:1 Now some men came down from Judea 1 and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised 2 according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 15:2 When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debate 3 with them, the church 4 appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet with 5 the apostles and elders in Jerusalem 6 about this point of disagreement. 7 15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia 8 and Samaria, they were relating at length 9 the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy 10 to all the brothers. 15:4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received 11 by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported 12 all the things God had done with them. 13 15:5 But some from the religious party of the Pharisees 14 who had believed stood up and said, “It is necessary 15 to circumcise the Gentiles 16 and to order them to observe 17 the law of Moses.”
15:6 Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate 18 about this matter. 15:7 After there had been much debate, 19 Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time ago 20 God chose 21 me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message 22 of the gospel 23 and believe. 24 15:8 And God, who knows the heart, 25 has testified 26 to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 27 15:9 and he made no distinction 28 between them and us, cleansing 29 their hearts by faith. 15:10 So now why are you putting God to the test 30 by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke 31 that neither our ancestors 32 nor we have been able to bear? 15:11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through 33 the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are.” 34
15:12 The whole group kept quiet 35 and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs 36 and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 15:13 After they stopped speaking, 37 James replied, 38 “Brothers, listen to me. 15:14 Simeon 39 has explained 40 how God first concerned himself 41 to select 42 from among the Gentiles 43 a people for his name. 15:15 The 44 words of the prophets agree 45 with this, as it is written,
15:16 ‘After this 46 I 47 will return,
and I will rebuild the fallen tent 48 of David;
I will rebuild its ruins and restore 49 it,
15:17 so that the rest of humanity 50 may seek the Lord,
namely, 51 all the Gentiles 52 I have called to be my own,’ 53 says the Lord, 54 who makes these things 15:18 known 55 from long ago. 56
15:19 “Therefore I conclude 57 that we should not cause extra difficulty 58 for those among the Gentiles 59 who are turning to God, 15:20 but that we should write them a letter 60 telling them to abstain 61 from things defiled 62 by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled 63 and from blood. 15:21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, 64 because he is read aloud 65 in the synagogues 66 every Sabbath.”
15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided 67 to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, 68 leaders among the brothers, to Antioch 69 with Paul and Barnabas. 15:23 They sent this letter with them: 70
From the apostles 71 and elders, your brothers, 72 to the Gentile brothers and sisters 73 in Antioch, 74 Syria, 75 and Cilicia, greetings! 15:24 Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused 76 you, upsetting 77 your minds 78 by what they said, 79 15:25 we have unanimously 80 decided 81 to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 15:26 who 82 have risked their lives 83 for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 84 15:27 Therefore we are sending 85 Judas and Silas 86 who will tell you these things themselves in person. 87 15:28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us 88 not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: 89