Acts 15 Parallel Bible

swipe to see more →

	NLT New Living Translation	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	While 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.”	But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”	Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2	Paul 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.	And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.	This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
3	The 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.	So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.	The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad.
4	When 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.	When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.	When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5	But 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.”	But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”	Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
6	So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.	The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.	The apostles and elders met to consider this question.
7	At 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.	And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.	After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
8	God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.	And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,	God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.
9	He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.	and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.	He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
10	So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?	Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?	Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?
11	We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”	But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”	No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12	Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.	And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.	The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
13	When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me.	After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.	When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.
14	Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.	Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name.	Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.
15	And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:	And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,	The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16	‘Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it,	“‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,	“’After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
17	so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD, including the Gentiles— all those I have called to be mine. The LORD has spoken—	that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things	that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ —
18	he who made these things known so long ago.’	known from of old.’	things known from long ago.
19	“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.	Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,	“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
20	Instead, 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.	but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.	Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
21	For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”	For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”	For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
22	Then 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.	Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,	Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.
23	This 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!	with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.	With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.
24	“We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them!	Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,	We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.
25	So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,	it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,	So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—
26	who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.	men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.	men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27	We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.	We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.	Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.
28	“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:	For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:	It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:
29	You 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.”	that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”	You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
30	The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter.	So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.	So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.
31	And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.	And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.	The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.
32	Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith.	And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.	Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.
33	They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace.	And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.	After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.
34
35	Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there.	But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.	But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
36	After 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.”	And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”	Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
37	Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.	Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.	Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,
38	But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.	But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.	but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.
39	Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.	And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,	They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
40	Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.	but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.	but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.
41	Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.	And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.	He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
	Read New Living Translation Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.	Read English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.	Read New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

Acts 15 Parallel Bible Translations