| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | New Living Translation |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers : “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being converted. |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them. |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.” |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue. |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written: |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16‘Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD, including the Gentiles— all those I have called to be mine. The LORD has spoken— |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18he who made these things known so long ago.’ |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.” The Letter for Gentile Believers |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders —Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas. |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23This is the letter they took with them: “This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings! |
| 24[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 24“We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! |
| 25[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 25So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, |
| 26[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 26who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 27[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 27We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question. |
| 28[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 28“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: |
| 29[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 29You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” |
| 30[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 30The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. |
| 31[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 31And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. |
| 32[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 32Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith. |
| 33[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 33They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace. |
| 34[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 34 |
| 35[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 35Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there. Paul and Barnabas Separate |
| 36[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 36After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” |
| 37[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 37Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. |
| 38[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 38But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. |
| 39[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 39Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. |
| 40[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 40Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care. |
| 41[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 41Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there. |
| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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