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15:1-29 Some people went down (to Antioch) and taught the brothers
"Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses you
cannot be saved." This caused
considerable discord and questioning by Paul and Barnabas with them. So they agreed to go up to Jerusalem with Paul and Barnabas and some of the
others amongst them in order to meet with the apostles and elders in Jerusalem and deal
with this question. In the process
of being sent forward by the church they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria.
They related there about the conversion of the nations (non-Jews/
gentiles) and caused great joy amongst all the brothers. Then having arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the
church and the apostles and the elders.
They
reported on what things God had done with them. But some
of those from the sect of the Pharisees who had been converted stood
up. They said "It is fitting to
circumcise them and tell
them to keep the law of Moses."
The
apostles and the elders assembled to see about this matter. After much questioning had taken place,
Peter rose up and said to them. "Brethren, you realise that from the
beginning (of our ministry) God chose that the nations would hear the word
of the gospel through my mouth and believe it. And God
the Heart-knower accepted them and gave them the Holy Spirit to them in
the same way as to us. There was no
distinction made between themselves and us.
It was by faith that their hearts were cleansed. Now therefore why do you test God by
putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples. (a yoke) which neither our fathers nor
ourselves were able to bear. It is
through the grace (life) of the Lord Jesus that we believe that we are
saved just as they also believe. All
the multitude were silent. They
(then) heard Barnabas and Paul relating what signs and wonders God had done
amongst the nations through themselves.
After that they kept
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silence. James answered them saying "Brethren
hear me. Simon (Peter) told how God
first visited him so that he would take his name out to the nations. This agrees with the words of the
prophets for it has been written.
"After these things I will return and rebuild the tent of David
which has fallen. And I will rebuild
everything that has been overturned.
I will rear it again so that
the rest of men may seek the Lord - even all the nations on whom my name
has been conferred says the Lord.
Doing these things has been known from the beginning."
Because
of this I (James) do not want to trouble those Gentiles who are turning to
God. Rather write word to them
telling them to abstain from the pollution of idols and fornication and
anything strangled and also blood.
For Moses from ancient generations in every city has had (all sorts
of) people reading him (and his law) in the synagogues on every Sabbath.
So
it then seemed good to the apostles and to the elders and all the church to
send men chosen from amongst them to Antioch
with Paul and Barnabas. Thus Judas called Barsabbas and Silas who were
leading men amongst the brothers (went with them) with the following
letter. "The apostles and the elders send greeting to the gentile
brothers throughout Antioch
and Syria
and Cilicia. We heard that some of us have
troubled you with what was said and
have unsettled you minds. We had not commissioned this. Therefore it has seemed good to us with
one mind to send some men chosen from amongst us to yourselves with our
beloved Barnabas and Paul. These
men have given up their previous
lives on behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent Judas and Silas so that they
through speech can announce the same things. It has appeared good to the Holy Spirit
and to us to put no more burden on yourselves than these necessary
things. Abstain from idol sacrifices
and blood and strangled things and fornication. In doing this you will do well. Farewell.
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