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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
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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.
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8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
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9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
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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?
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11 But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
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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.
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13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
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14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
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15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
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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:
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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.
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18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
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19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
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20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
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21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
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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:
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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:
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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:
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25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
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26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
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28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
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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.
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30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
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31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
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32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
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33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
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34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
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35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
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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.
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37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
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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.
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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;
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40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
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41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
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- 1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
- 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.
- 3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.
- 4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.
- 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
- 6 The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.
- 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.
- 8 “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
- 9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
- 10 “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
- 11 “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
- 12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
- 13 After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me.
- 14 “Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.
- 15 “With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,
- 16 'AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT,
- 17 SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,'
- 18 SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.
- 19 “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,
- 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.
- 21 “For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
- 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,
- 23 and they sent this letter by them, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.
- 24 “Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,
- 25 it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
- 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 27 “Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.
- 28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:
- 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”
- 30 So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.
- 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.
- 32 Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.
- 33 After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out.
- 34 [But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.]
- 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.
- 36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
- 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.
- 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
- 39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
- 40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
- 41 And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
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