15Some men came from Judea to Antioch and started teaching the believers, "You cannot be saved unless you are circumcised as the Law of Moses requires."G2532G5100G2718G575G2449G1321G80G3754G3362G4059G1485G3475G3756G1410G49822Paul and Barnabas got into a fierce argument with them about this, so it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others in Antioch should go to Jerusalem and see the apostles and elders about this matter.G3767G3972G2532G921G1096G3756G3641G4714G2532G4803G4314G846G5021G3972G2532G921G2532G5100G243G1537G846G305G1519G2419G4314G652G2532G4245G4012G5127G22133They were sent on their way by the church; and as they went through Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported how the Gentiles had turned to God; this news brought great joy to all the believers.G3303G3767G4311G5259G1577G1330G5403G2532G4540G1555G1995G1484G2532G4160G3173G5479G3956G804When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them.G1161G3854G1519G2419G588G5259G1577G2532G652G2532G4245G5037G312G3745G2316G4160G3326G8465But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses."G1161G1817G5100G575G139G5330G4100G3004G3754G1163G4059G846G5037G3853G5083G3551G34756The apostles and the elders met together to consider this question.G1161G652G2532G4245G4863G1492G4012G5127G30567After a long debate Peter stood up and said, "My friends, you know that a long time ago God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, so that they could hear and believe.G1161G1096G4183G4803G4074G450G2036G4314G846G435G80G5210G1987G3754G744G2250G575G2316G1586G1722G2254G1484G1223G3450G4750G191G3056G2098G2532G41008And God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us.G2532G2316G2589G846G3140G1325G846G40G4151G2532G2531G22549He made no difference between us and them; he forgave their sins because they believed.G2532G1252G3762G1252G3342G5037G2257G2532G846G2511G846G2588G410210So then, why do you now want to put God to the test by laying a load on the backs of the believers which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry?G3568G3767G5101G3985G2316G2007G2218G1909G5137G3101G3739G3777G2257G3962G3777G2249G2480G94111No! We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."G235G4100G1223G5485G2962G2424G5547G4982G2596G3739G5158G254812The whole group was silent as they heard Barnabas and Paul report all the miracles and wonders that God had performed through them among the Gentiles.G1161G3956G4128G4601G2532G191G921G2532G3972G1834G3745G4592G2532G5059G2316G4160G1722G1484G1223G84613When they had finished speaking, James spoke up: "Listen to me, my friends!G1161G3326G4601G846G4601G2385G611G3004G435G80G191G345014Simon has just explained how God first showed his care for the Gentiles by taking from among them a people to belong to him.G4826G1834G2531G2316G4412G1980G1484G2983G1537G2992G1909G846G368615The words of the prophets agree completely with this. As the scripture says,G2532G5129G4856G3056G4396G2531G112516'After this I will return, says the Lord, and restore the kingdom of David. I will rebuild its ruins and make it strong again.G3326G5023G390G2532G456G4633G1138G3588G4098G2532G456G2679G846G2532G461G846G46117And so all the rest of the human race will come to me, all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own.G3704G302G2645G444G1567G2962G2532G3956G1484G1909G3739G3450G3686G1941G1909G846G3004G2962G3588G4160G3956G502318So says the Lord, who made this known long ago.'G1110G2316G2076G3956G846G2041G575G16519"It is my opinion," James went on, "that we should not trouble the Gentiles who are turning to God.G1352G1473G2919G3926G3361G3588G575G1484G1994G1909G231620Instead, we should write a letter telling them not to eat any food that is ritually unclean because it has been offered to idols; to keep themselves from sexual immorality; and not to eat any animal that has been strangled, or any blood.G235G1989G846G567G575G234G1497G2532G4202G2532G4156G2532G12921For the Law of Moses has been read for a very long time in the synagogues every Sabbath, and his words are preached in every town."G1063G3475G1537G744G1074G2192G2596G4172G2784G846G314G1722G4864G2596G3956G452122Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, decided to choose some men from the group and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose two men who were highly respected by the believers, Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,G5119G1380G652G2532G4245G4862G3650G1577G3992G1586G435G1537G846G1519G490G4862G3972G2532G921G2455G1941G923G2532G4609G2233G435G1722G8023and they sent the following letter by them:G1125G1223G5495G846G3592G652G2532G4245G2532G80G5463G80G3588G1537G1484G2596G490G2532G4947G2532G279124We have heard that some who went from our group have troubled and upset you by what they said; they had not, however, received any instruction from us.G1894G191G3754G5100G1831G1537G2257G5015G5209G3056G384G5216G5590G3004G4059G2532G5083G3551G3739G1291G3756G129125And so we have met together and have all agreed to choose some messengers and send them to you. They will go with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,G1380G2254G1096G3661G3992G1586G435G4314G5209G4862G2257G27G921G2532G397226who have risked their lives in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ.G444G3860G846G5590G5228G3686G2257G2962G2424G554727We send you, then, Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things we are writing.G649G3767G2455G2532G4609G846G518G2532G518G846G1223G305628The Holy Spirit and we have agreed not to put any other burden on you besides these necessary rules:G1063G1380G40G4151G2532G2254G2007G5213G3367G4119G922G4133G5130G187629eat no food that has been offered to idols; eat no blood; eat no animal that has been strangled; and keep yourselves from sexual immorality. You will do well if you take care not to do these things. With our best wishes."G567G1494G2532G129G2532G4156G2532G4202G1537G3739G1301G1438G4238G2095G451730The messengers were sent off and went to Antioch, where they gathered the whole group of believers and gave them the letter.G3303G3767G630G2064G1519G490G2532G4863G4128G4863G1929G199231When the people read it, they were filled with joy by the message of encouragement.G1161G314G5463G1909G387432Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, spoke a long time with them, giving them courage and strength.G2455G2532G4609G5607G4396G2532G846G3870G80G1223G4183G3056G2532G199133After spending some time there, they were sent off in peace by the believers and went back to those who had sent them.G1161G4160G5550G630G3326G1515G575G80G4314G65234OMITTED TEXTG1161G1380G4609G1961G847G196135Paul and Barnabas spent some time in Antioch, and together with many others they taught and preached the word of the Lord.G3972G1161G2532G921G1304G1722G490G1321G2532G2097G3056G2962G3326G4183G2087G253236Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in every town where we preached the word of the Lord, and let us find out how they are getting along."G1161G5100G2250G3326G3972G2036G4314G921G1211G1994G1980G2257G80G2596G3956G4172G1722G3739G2605G3056G2962G4459G219237Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them,G1161G921G1011G4838G2491G2564G313838but Paul did not think it was right to take him, because he had not stayed with them to the end of their mission, but had turned back and left them in Pamphylia.G1161G3972G515G3361G515G4838G5126G4838G3588G868G575G846G575G3828G2532G4905G3361G846G1519G204139There was a sharp argument, and they separated: Barnabas took Mark and sailed off for Cyprus,G3767G3948G1096G3948G846G5620G673G575G240G5037G921G3880G3138G1602G1519G295440while Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the care of the Lord's grace.G1161G3972G1951G4609G1831G3860G5259G80G5485G231641He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.G1161G1330G4947G2532G2791G1991G1577
Dublin, OH
