\v 1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and taught the brothers, saying, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
\v 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into a sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas along with some others from among them were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders about this question.
\v 3 They therefore, being sent by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria and announced the conversion of the Gentiles. They brought great joy to all the brothers.
\v 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all the things that God had done with them.
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\v 5 But certain men who believed, who belonged to the group of Pharisees, stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses."
\v 6 So the apostles and the elders gathered together to consider this matter.
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\v 7 After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them,
\p "Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
\v 8 God, who knows the heart, witnesses to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us;
\v 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, making their hearts clean by faith.
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\v 10 Now therefore why do you test God, that you should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
\v 11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they were."
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\v 12 All the multitude kept silent while they listened to Barnabas and Paul report the signs and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them.
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\v 13 After they stopped speaking, James answered, saying,
\p "Brothers, listen to me.
\v 14 Simon has told how God first graciously helped the Gentiles in order to take from them a people for his name.
\v 19 Therefore, my opinion is, that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God.
\v 20 But we will write to them that they must keep away from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, and from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
\v 21 For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from the ancient times and he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
\v 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leaders of the church, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
\v 24 We have heard that certain men to whom we gave no such commandment, went out from us and have troubled you with teachings that make trouble for your souls.
\v 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
\v 29 that you turn away from things sacrificed to idols, blood, things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, it shall be well with you. Farewell."
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\p
\v 30 So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; after they gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.
\v 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of the encouragement.
\v 32 Judas and Silas, also prophets, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them.
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\v 33 After they had spent some time there, they were sent away in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.
\v 34 \f + \ft The best ancient copies omit verse 34 (see Acts 15:40). Vs. 34, \fqa But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.\f*
\v 36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return now and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.
\v 37 Barnabas wanted to also take with them John who was called Mark.
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