Acts 15
1. And certain men which came down * from Judaea taught * the brethren,and said, Except ye be circumcised * after the manner of Moses, ye cannot * be saved * .
2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had * no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined * that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up * to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3. And being brought on their way * by the church, they passed through * Phenice 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 of the apostles and elders, and they declared * all things that God had done * with them.
5. But there rose up * certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed * , saying * , That it was needful * to circumcise * them, and to command * them to keep * the law of Moses.
6. And the apostles and elders came together * for to consider * of this matter.
7. And when there had been * much disputing, Peter rose up * , and said * unto them, Men and brethren, ye know * how that a good while ago God made choice * among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear * the word of the gospel, and believe * .
8. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness * , giving * them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9. And put * no difference * between us and them, purifying * their hearts by faith.
10. Now therefore why tempt ye * God, to put * a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able * to bear * ?
11. But we believe * that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved * , even as they.
12. Then all the multitude kept silence * , and gave audience * to Barnabas and Paul, declaring * what miracles and wonders God had wrought * among the Gentiles by them.
13. And after they had held their peace * , James answered * , saying * , Men and brethren, hearken * unto me:
14. Simeon hath declared * how God at the first did visit * 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 this I will return * , and will build again * the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down * ; and I will build again * the ruins * thereof, and I will set * it up * :
17. That the residue of men might seek after * the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called * , saith * the Lord, who doeth * all these things.
18. Known unto God are * all his works from the beginning of the world.
19. Wherefore my sentence is * , that we trouble * not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned * to God:
20. But that we write * unto them, that they abstain * from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21. For Moses of old time hath * in every city them that preach * him, being read * in the synagogues every sabbath day.
22. Then pleased it * the apostles and elders, with the whole church,to send * chosen * men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed * Barsabas, and Silas, chief * men among the brethren:
23. And they wrote * letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting * unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
24. Forasmuch as we have heard * , that certain which went out * from us have troubled * you with words,subverting * your souls, saying * , Ye must be circumcised * , and keep * the law: to whom we gave * no such commandment * :
25. It seemed good * unto us, being assembled * with one accord, to send * chosen * men 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 shall * also tell * you the same things by mouth.
28. For it seemed good * to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon * you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29. That ye abstain * from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep * yourselves, ye shall do * well. Fare ye well * .
30. So when they were dismissed * , they came * to Antioch: and when they had gathered * the multitude together * , they delivered * the epistle:
31. Which when they had read * , they rejoiced * for the consolation.
32. And Judas and Silas, being * prophets also themselves, exhorted * the brethren with many words, and confirmed * them.
33. And after they had tarried * there a space, they were let go * in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
34. Notwithstanding it pleased * Silas to abide * there still * .
35. Paul also and Barnabas continued * in Antioch, teaching * and preaching * the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36. And some days after Paul said * unto Barnabas, Let us go again * and visit * our brethren in every city where we have preached * the word of the Lord,and see how they do * .
37. And Barnabas determined * to take with them * John, whose surname was * Mark.
38. But Paul thought * not good * to take * him with them * , who departed from * them from Pamphylia, and went * not with them to the work.
39. And the contention * was * so sharp between them, that they departed asunder * one from the other: and so Barnabas took * Mark, and sailed * unto Cyprus;
40. And Paul chose * Silas, and departed * , being recommended * by the brethren unto the grace of God.
41. And he went through * Syria and Cilicia, confirming * the churches.
