Open English Translation ACTs Chapter 15

15 Then some people came to Antioch from Yudea and were teaching the believers that according to Moses’ teachings, you can’t be saved unless you’ve been circumcised. 2 This led to no end of argument and debate between them and Paul and Barnabas until it was decided that the two of them and some other believers should go to Yerusalem to ask the missionaries and the elders there about this issue.

3 So indeed the assembly sent the group on their way, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they described how non-Jews had become believers and this news made the believers there very happy.

4 When they arrived in Yerusalem, they were welcomed by the assembly and the missionaries and the elders, and they explained how God had used them. 5 But some of the believers who were also members of the Pharisee party stood up and said, “It’s quite proper for them to be circumcised and to be commanded to keep the Jewish religious laws.”

6 So the missionaries and the elders met separately in order to consider the matter further. 7 After a lot of debate, Peter stood up and said, “Men, brothers, all of you here know that some time back, God chose me to be a mouthpiece so that the non-Jews could hear the good message and believe. 8 And God who knows even people’s inner thoughts, gave them the same holy spirit that he gave us, 9 and when he purified their minds by the faith, he didn’t do anything different for them than he did for us. 10 So why are you all provoking God by putting a load on the shoulders of these believers that neither we, nor our ancestors, were ever able to bear? 11 But we ourselves have believed thanks to the grace of Yeshua the master, and they can be saved in just the same way.”

12 The whole group sat in silence, and then they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they described everything that God had done among the non-Jews through them, including miracles and amazing things. 13 Then while they were still silent, Yacob responded, “Men, brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon Peter has told us how God first intervened in order to select a people for himself from among the non-Jews. 15 And this actually agrees with the message that the prophets recorded,

16 ‘After these things have happened I will return,

and I will rebuild the worship tent from David’s time that has collapsed,

Although it was overturned, I will rebuild and restore it,

17 so that the remaining people will want to find the master,

and also the non-Jews who cried out to me.

The master who is doing these things is saying this,

18 and planned it this way from eternity.’

19 Because of this, my ruling is not to be troubling the non-Jews who are turning back to God, 20 but to write to them to keep away from anything polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, and from strangled animals and eating or drinking blood. 21 Moses’ writings have been preached in every city and are read in our meeting halls on every Rest Day.

22 So the missionaries and elders with all the assembly decided to choose some men to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch, so they chose Yudas (nicknamed Barsabbas) and Silas who were leaders among the believers, 23 This is what they wrote: This letter is from the missionaries and elders, your brothers here in Yerusalem to our non-Jewish fellow believers in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. 24 Since we heard that some people who weren’t sent by us came from here and disturbed you all with their upsetting messages, 25 we unanimously agreed to select some men to accompany our dear friends Barnabas and Paul back. 26 These are men who have dedicated their lives to our master, Yeshua the messiah. 27 So we’ve sent Yudas and Silas and they’ll confirm in person what we are writing. 28 It seemed right to the holy spirit and to us to not burden you all with anything more than the following commands: 29 you all must keep away from anything sacrificed to idols, from eating or drinking blood or strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you avoid these things. Farewell.

30 So they were sent off and when they arrived at Antioch, they gathered the believers and handed across the letter, 31 and when they read it, they were very happy with the encouraging contents.

32 Yudas and Barnabas were both prophets, and said a lot to encourage them and strengthen their faith. 33 After they’d stayed there for a while, the believers sent them home carrying greetings from them to the assembly back in Yerusalem.

34 ◘ 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed on there in Antioch, teaching them and preaching the good message along with many others.

36 After a few days, Paul suggested to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the believers in each city where we proclaimed the master’s message, and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take Yohan Mark along with them as well, 38 but Paul didn’t want to take him because he had left them in Pamphylia instead of continuing with them in their work. 39 And so it turned into such a disagreement that the two of them each went their different ways. Barnabas took Yohan Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus 40 while Paul chose Silas and they left after being entrusted to the master’s grace by the believers. 41 They went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies there.