The Council at Jerusalem

Acts 15

Now certain men came down from Judea and began to teach the siblings, “Unless y’all are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, y’all can’t be saved.” This became a major argument and debate between them and Paul and Barnabas. So Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. So the church sent them on their way, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the stories of how the conversion of ethnic groups, bringing great joy to all the siblings. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.

But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

The apostles and the elders gathered together to look into this matter. When there had been much debate, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, y’all know that in the early days, God made a choice among y’all that from my mouth the ethnic groups would hear the gospel message and believe. The heart-knower God validated them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just like ʜᴇ did to us. Hᴇ made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now then, why are y’all tempting God by imposing a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither we nor our ancestors were able to endure? No, it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we believe we are saved, just as they are.”

Then the whole group became silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describe the signs and wonders God had done among the ethnic groups through them. After they became silent, James responded, “Brothers, y’all must listen to me. Simeon has explained how God first visited the ethnic groups to select from them a people for ʜɪꜱ name. This is harmonious with the words of the prophets, as it is written,

‘After this I will return. I will rebuild the fallen tent of David. I will rebuild its ruins. I will restore it so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, even all the ethnic groups who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.’+Amos 9:11-12 things known from eternity.

“Therefore, I am making the judgement that we should not cause difficulty for the ethnic groups who turn to God. Instead we should write to them that they should abstain from the things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. For since ancient times, Moses has been preached in every city and has been read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

The Council’s Instructions to Gentile Believers

Then it seemed good to the apostles, the elders, and the whole church to select men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, who were leading men among the siblings. They wrote these things by their hand:

“The apostles, the elders, and the brothers,

To those in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, who are siblings among the ethnic groups: Greetings.

Because we have heard that some went out from among us without our authorization and have troubled y’all with words that unsettled y’all’s souls, it seemed good to us, having decided with one mind, to select some men and send them to y’all with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, who will confirm these same things in person. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden y’all beyond these essentials: Y’all are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. Y’all will do well to keep away from these things. Farewell to y’all.”

So they were sent off and came to Antioch. after gathering the group together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement. Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, encouraged and strengthened the siblings with a lengthy message. After they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace by the siblings to return to those who had sent them. +15:34 Some manuscripts include verse 34: But it seemed good to Silas to stay there. However, Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, along with many others.

Paul and Barnabas Disagree and Part

Some time later, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the siblings in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John (also called Mark) with them too, but Paul didn’t think that it was fitting to take him, because he had deserted from them in Pamphylia and didn’t go with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the siblings to the grace of God. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.