And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, saying, “If you are not circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you are not able to be saved.”
Now when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, the people appointed Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this question.
They therefore, being sent on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers.
And when they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, and the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.
But some from the sect of the Pharisees, who had believed, rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”
Both the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.
And when there had been much disputing, Peter got up and said to them, “Men and 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 good news and believe.
And God, who knows the heart, testified on their behalf by giving them the holy spirit just as he did to us,
and in cleansing their hearts by trust, he has made no distinction between us and them.
Now then, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we could carry?
But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
And the entire multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they were recounting all the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Men and brothers, listen to me.
Simeon has related how God first showed his concern by taking out from the Gentiles a people for his name.
And to this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written,
After these things I will return, and I will build again the tent of David, which is fallen. And I will build again the parts of it that have been torn down, and I will set it up,
so that the rest of humankind will seek the Lord—even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord who does these things.
“This has been known from of old.
Therefore, my judgment is that we do not trouble those who from among the Gentiles turn to God,
but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers
Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leading men among the brothers.
They wrote and sent the letter through them: “The apostles and the elders, brothers, to the brothers and sisters who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
Since we have heard that certain men who have gone out from us, to whom we gave no instruction, have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls,
we, having come to one accord, decided to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay on you no greater burden than these necessary things,
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell.”
So when they were sent off, they came down to Antioch, and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.
And when they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement.
And Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them.
And after they had spent some time there, they were sent off in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them out.
[[But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.]]
But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the good news of the word of the Lord with many others also.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
Now Barnabas was intending to take John (who was called Mark) with them also.
But Paul was thinking it was not appropriate to take with them the one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and did not go with them to the work.
And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
But Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.