| 1 And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren,
saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot
be saved. 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and
questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas,
and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and
elders about this question. 3 They therefore, being brought on their way
by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the
conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church
and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had
done with them. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees
who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to
keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered
together to consider of this matter. 7 And when there had been much
questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good
while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should
hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, who knoweth the
heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto
us; 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their
hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should
put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we
were able to bear? 11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the
grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they. 12 And all the multitude
kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs
and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them. 13 And after
they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out
of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the
prophets; as it is written,
16 After these things I will return,
And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen;
And I will build again the ruins thereof,
And I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men may seek after the Lord,
And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
18 Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.
19 Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the
Gentiles turn to God; 20 but that we write unto them, that they abstain
from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is
strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses from generations of old hath in
every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole
church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with
Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief
men among the brethren: 23 and they wrote thus by them, The
apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles
in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: 24 Forasmuch as we have heard
that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting
your souls; to whom we gave no commandment; 25 it seemed good unto us,
having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our
beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men that have hazarded their lives for the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas,
who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no
greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that ye abstain from things
sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from
fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you.
Fare ye well. 30 So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch;
and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.
31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32 And
Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with
many words, and confirmed them. 33 And after they had spent some time
there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that
had sent them forth. 34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide
there. 35 But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and
preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. 36 And after some
days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in
every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how
they fare. 37 And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was
called Mark. 38 But Paul thought not good to take with them him who
withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
39 And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one
from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus;
40 but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren
to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia,
confirming the churches.
Genesis - Public
Domain
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