15 Donn kjeeme walkje fonn Judaea en leade dee Breeda: "Wan jie junt nich beschniede lote no Mooses siene Oat, kje jie nich seelich woare".

Nu jeef daut nich en kleenet Striet en shoapa Wead tweschen daen en Paul en Barnabas, en soo worde see sikj eenich daut Paul en Barnabas en walkje fonn an sulle no dee Apostel en Aeltesta no Jerusalem gone waeajen dise Fraog.

Dee Jemeent holp an oppem Wajch, en see reisde derch Feniesean en Samaria en fetalde ommstendich woo dee Heide sikj bekjeade, en dee Breeda freide sikj seeha doato.

Aus see no Jerusalem kjeeme, neem dee Jemeent an opp, uk dee Apostel en Aelteste, en see jeewe Berecht fonn waut Gott derch an jedone haud.

Oba jewesse fonn dee Farisaea dee jleewde, stunnde opp en saede: "Dee motte sikj beschniede lote en Mooses sien Jesats hoole".

En dee Apostel en Aelteste weare toop jekome om dise Sach to uadeele.

Aus nu fael han en haea wea jeraet worde, stunnt Peeta opp en saed to an: "Mana, Breeda! jie weete daut Gott mie en langet stoot trig waeld daut dee Heide derch mie daut Evanjeelium heare sulle en tom Gloowe kome.

En Gott, dee daut Hoat kjant, jeef an Zeichnes enn daem daut hee an daen Heilje Jeist jeef jrod so aus onns,

en muak kjeen unjascheet tweschen onns en an, en reinjd aeare Hoate derch daem Gloowe.

10 Nu wuaromm proow jie Gott, en henje en Joch opp dee Jinje aea Jnek, daut onnse Fodasch en wie nich droage kunne?

11 Oba wie jleewe daut wie derch daem Herr Jesus siene Jnod seelich woare, jrod soo aus uk jana."

12 Donn wea dee Fesaumlunk gauns stel, en heade Barnabas en Paul fetale woo Gott derch an Teakjen en Wunnda jedone haud mank dee Heide.

13 En aus dee eascht stel weare, auntwuad Joakopp en saed:

14 "Mana, Breeda; horcht no mie! Siemoon haft fetalt woo Gott easchtens dee Heide besocht haft, fonn an en Follkj fa sien Nome to naeme.

15 Dee Profeete aeare Wead steme met dit, so aus uk jeschraewe steit: 'No dise Dinje woa ekj trig kome en woa Doft sien Hus, daut fefolle es, wada oppbuhe, en daut waut ommjeschmaete es woa ekj fomm fresche oppbuhe en wada opprechte,

17 so daut dee aewrije Mensche daem Herr seakje muchte aewa daen mien Nome es jenant worde, sajcht de Herr, dee soont deit

18 fonn Eewichkjeit haea.'

19 Aulsoo beschlut ekj daut wie daen fonn dee Heide nich trubble dee sikj bekjeare,

20 oba daut wie an schriewe daut see fonn Jetse Onnrienichkjeit wajch bliewe, en fonn Hurarie, en fonn soont daut aufjewarcht es, en Bloot.

21 Dan Mooses haft fonn lang haea enn jiede Staut soone dee enne Sienagooge daut sienje praedje, wua daut jiede Saubat jelaest woat."

22 Donn schiend dee Apostel en Aelteste en dee gaunse Jemeent daut fa Goot to senne daut see fonn aeare eajne Mana waelde daen met Paul en Barnabas met toschekje no Antiochean, Judas dee uk Barsabas jenant wort, en Sielas, Mana dee Leida weare mank dee Breeda;

23 en schekjte en Breef derch aeare Haunt: "Dee Apostel en Aelteste, Breeda, aun dee Breeda ut dee Heide enn Antiochean, Sierean, en Tselietsean: wie jreese junt!

24 Wiel wie jeheat ha daut walkje fonn onnse, daen wie kjeen Befael jejaeft haude, junt jetrubbelt ha met Wead dee jun Senn jesteat ha,

25 schiend onns daut Goot to senne no daem daut wie onns weare eenich jeworde, junt utjewaelde Mana to schekje met onnse leefste Paul en Barnabas,

26 Mana dee fa onns Herr Jesus sien Nome aea Laewe ha hanjejaeft.

27 Doaromm ha wie Judas en Sielas jeschekjt, dee junt met Wead daut naemlijet saje woare.

28 Dan daut schiend daem Heilje Jeist en onns goot to senne daut wie junt nich ne jratre Laust opplaje buta daut waut needich es,

29 daut jie junt wajch hoole fonn Jetseopfa, en fonn Bloot, en fonn aufjewarjdet, en fonn Hurarie; wan jie doafonn wajch bliewe, woa jie goot doone. Audee."

30 Aus see nu weare gone lote, kjeeme see no Antiochean, fesaumelde dee Jemeent en jeewe an daen Breef.

31 Aus see daem jelaest haude, freide see sikj aewa daen Troost.

32 Judas en Sielas, dee selfst uk Profeete weare, femonde en stoakjde dee Breeda met fael Wead.

33 En aus see doa eascht en Stoot weare jewast, leete dee Breeda an trig gone no dee Apostel enn Fraed.

34 Sielas oba sach daut fa goot aun doa noch lenga to bliewe.

35 Oba Paul en Sielas bleewe enn Antiochean, en met fael aundre leade en praedjde daem Herr sien Wuat.

36 No jewesse Doag saed Paul to Barnabas: "Wel wie nu trig reise no dee Breeda enn jiede Staut wua wie daem Herr sien Wuat jepraedicht ha, tom seene woo daut met an steit."

37 Barnabas wull Jehaun met naeme - dee uk Markus heet;

38 Paul oba hilt daut nich fa goot aun daem met to naeme wiel hee an feleet en Pamfilean, en nich met jinkj no dee Oabeit.

39 En doa weare shoape Jefiele, so daut see uteneen jinje eena fom aundre, en Barnabas neem Markus, en neem Schep no Tsiepern.

40 En Paul waeld Sielas, en feleet no daem daut dee Breeda am daem Herr siene Jnod aewajaeft haude.

41 En hee reisd derch Sierean en Tsilietsean en bestaedijd dee Jemeent.

The Council at Jerusalem

15 Certain people(A) came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers:(B) “Unless you are circumcised,(C) according to the custom taught by Moses,(D) you cannot be saved.” 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(E) to see the apostles and elders(F) about this question. The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia(G) and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted.(H) This news made all the believers very glad. 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.(I)

Then some of the believers who belonged to the party(J) of the Pharisees(K) stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”(L)

The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 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.(M) God, who knows the heart,(N) showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,(O) just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them,(P) for he purified their hearts by faith.(Q) 10 Now then, why do you try to test God(R) by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke(S) that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace(T) of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders(U) God had done among the Gentiles through them.(V) 13 When they finished, James(W) spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.(X) 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

16 “‘After this I will return
    and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
    and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
    even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b](Y)
18     things known from long ago.[c](Z)

19 “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 to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols,(AA) from sexual immorality,(AB) from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.(AC) 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”(AD)

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

22 Then the apostles and elders,(AE) with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch(AF) with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas,(AG) men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch,(AH) Syria(AI) and Cilicia:(AJ)

Greetings.(AK)

24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.(AL) 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives(AM) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas(AN) to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit(AO) and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.(AP) You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

30 So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas,(AQ) who themselves were prophets,(AR) said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace(AS) to return to those who had sent them. [34] [d] 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached(AT) the word of the Lord.(AU)

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns(AV) where we preached the word of the Lord(AW) and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,(AX) with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them(AY) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas(AZ) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.(BA) 41 He went through Syria(BB) and Cilicia,(BC) strengthening the churches.(BD)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:14 Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter
  2. Acts 15:17 Amos 9:11,12 (see Septuagint)
  3. Acts 15:18 Some manuscripts things’— / 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago
  4. Acts 15:34 Some manuscripts include here But Silas decided to remain there.

15 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

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.

And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

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.