American Standard Version

Acts 15

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¹And certain men came down from Judæa and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved. ²And 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. ³They 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. ⁴And 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. ⁵But 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. ⁶And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter. ⁷And 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. ⁸And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; ⁹and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. ¹⁰Now 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? ¹¹But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they. ¹²And 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. ¹³And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me: ¹⁴Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, ¹⁶After 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: ¹⁷That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, ¹⁸Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old. ¹⁹Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God; ²⁰but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. ²¹For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath. ²²Then 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: ²³and 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: ²⁴Forasmuch 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; ²⁵it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: ²⁹that 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. ³⁰So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle. ³¹And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation. ³²And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. ³³And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth. ³⁵But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. ³⁶And 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. ³⁷And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark. ³⁸But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. ³⁹And 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: ⁴⁰but Paul chose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.