{"book":"Acts","slug":"acts","ch":15,"genre":"list","sub":"The Acts of the Apostles","prev":"acts/14","next":"acts/16","verses":[{"v":1,"t":"Then some men came down from Judea [and] were teaching the brothers,“ Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”","f":[],"h":"The Dispute over Circumcision","style":"reg"},{"v":2,"t":"And after engaging [these men] in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other [ believers ], to go up to Jerusalem to [see] the apostles and elders about this question.","f":[]},{"v":3,"t":"Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":4,"t":"[On] their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, [to whom] they reported all that God had done through them.","f":[]},{"v":5,"t":"But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up [and] declared,“ [The Gentiles] must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”","f":[],"h":"The Council at Jerusalem","style":"reg"},{"v":6,"t":"[So] the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.","f":[]},{"v":7,"t":"After much discussion, Peter got up [and] said to them,“ Brothers, you know that in [the] early days God made a choice among you [that] the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":8,"t":"And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as [He did] to us.","f":[]},{"v":9,"t":"He made no distinction between us and them, [for] He cleansed their hearts by faith.","f":[]},{"v":10,"t":"Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":11,"t":"On the contrary, we believe [it is] through the grace of [the] Lord Jesus [that] we are saved, just as they [are].”","f":[]},{"v":12,"t":"The whole assembly fell silent [as they] listened to Barnabas and Paul describing [the] signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":13,"t":"When they had finished speaking, James declared,“ Brothers, listen to me!","f":[]},{"v":14,"t":"Simon has told us how God first visited [the Gentiles] to take from [them] a people [to be] His [own].","f":["Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon"]},{"v":15,"t":"The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:","f":[]},{"v":16,"t":"‘ After [this] I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,","f":[],"lines":[{"style":"indent1stline","t":"‘ After [this] I will return and rebuild"},{"style":"indent2","t":"the fallen tent of David."},{"style":"indent1","t":"Its ruins I will rebuild,"},{"style":"indent2","t":"and I will restore it,"}],"style":"indent1stline"},{"v":17,"t":"so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says [the] Lord who does these things","f":[],"lines":[{"style":"indent1","t":"so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord,"},{"style":"indent2","t":"and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,"},{"style":"indent1","t":"says [the] Lord who does these things"}],"style":"indent1"},{"v":18,"t":"[that] have been known for ages.’","f":["Amos 9:11–12 (see also LXX); BYZ and TR says the Lord, who does all these things. 18Known unto God are all His works from the ages."],"style":"indent2"},{"v":19,"t":"[It is] my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles [who] are turning to God.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":20,"t":"Instead, we should write [ and tell] them to abstain from [ food ] polluted by idols, [from] sexual immorality, [from] the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.","f":[]},{"v":21,"t":"For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times [and] is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”","f":[]},{"v":22,"t":"Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. [They chose] Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, [two] leaders among the brothers,","f":[],"h":"The Letter to the Gentile Believers","style":"reg"},{"v":23,"t":"[and sent them with] this letter: The apostles and the elders, [your] brothers, To the brothers among [the] Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.","f":[],"lines":[{"style":"","t":"[and sent them with] this letter:"},{"style":"tab1stline","t":"The apostles and the elders, [your] brothers,"},{"style":"tab1stline","t":"To the brothers among [the] Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:"},{"style":"tab1stline","t":"Greetings."}],"style":"tab1stline"},{"v":24,"t":"It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization [and] unsettled you, troubling your minds by what [they] said.","f":["BYZ and TR by saying that you must be circumcised and keep the law."],"style":"tab1stline"},{"v":25,"t":"[So] we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,","f":[]},{"v":26,"t":"men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.","f":[]},{"v":27,"t":"Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you [in person] the same things [we are writing].","f":[]},{"v":28,"t":"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you [with anything] beyond these essential requirements:","f":[],"style":"tab1stline"},{"v":29,"t":"[You must] 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.","f":[],"lines":[{"style":"","t":"[You must] 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."},{"style":"tab1stline","t":"Farewell."}],"style":"tab1stline"},{"v":30,"t":"So [the men] were sent off [and] went down to Antioch, [where] they assembled the congregation [and] delivered the letter.","f":[],"h":"The Believers at Antioch Rejoice","style":"reg"},{"v":31,"t":"[When] [the people] read [it], they rejoiced at [its] encouraging message.","f":[]},{"v":32,"t":"Judas and Silas, [who] themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":33,"t":"After spending some time [there], they were sent off by the brothers in peace to [return to] those who had sent them.","f":["TR includes 34Silas, however, decided to remain there."]},{"v":34,"t":"","f":[]},{"v":35,"t":"But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.","f":[]},{"v":36,"t":"Some time later Paul said to Barnabas,“ Let us go back [and] visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [ to see ] how they are doing.”","f":[],"h":"Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Begins","style":"reg"},{"v":37,"t":"Barnabas wanted to take John, [also] called Mark.","f":[]},{"v":38,"t":"But Paul thought it best not to take him, [because] he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.","f":[]},{"v":39,"t":"Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark [and] sailed for Cyprus,","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":40,"t":"but Paul chose Silas [and] left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.","f":[]},{"v":41,"t":"And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.","f":[]}]}