Acts of the Apostles 15

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Then some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, 'Unless you have yourselvescircumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved.'	1 And certain ones, descending from Judea, were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it wasdecided that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the questionwith the apostles and elders.	2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas made no small uprising against them, they decided that Paul and Barnabas, and some from the opposing side, should go up to the Apostles and priests in Jerusalem concerning this question.
3 The members of the church saw them off, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria theytold how the gentiles had been converted, and this news was received with the greatest satisfaction by al thebrothers.	3 Therefore, being led by the church, they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles. And they caused great joy among all the brothers.
4 When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church and by the apostles and elders,and gave an account of al that God had done through them.	4 And when they had arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the Apostles and the elders, reporting what great things God had done with them.
5 But certain members of the Pharisees' party who had become believers objected, insisting that gentilesshould be circumcised and instructed to keep the Law of Moses.	5 But some from the sect of the Pharisees, those who were believers, rose up saying, “It is necessary for them to be circumcised and to be instructed to keep the Law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and elders met to look into the matter,	6 And the Apostles and elders came together to take care of this matter.
7 and after a long discussion, Peter stood up and addressed them. 'My brothers,' he said, 'you knowperfectly wel that in the early days God made his choice among you: the gentiles were to learn the good newsfrom me and so become believers.	7 And after a great contention had taken place, Peter rose up and said to them: “Noble brothers, you know that, in recent days, God has chosen from among us, by my mouth, Gentiles to hear the word of the Gospel and to believe.
8 And God, who can read everyone's heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit tothem just as he had to us.	8 And God, who knows hearts, offered testimony, by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as to us.
9 God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith.	9 And he distinguished nothing between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Why do you put God to the test now by imposing on the disciples the very burden that neither ourancestors nor we ourselves were strong enough to support?	10 Now therefore, why do you tempt God to impose a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
11 But we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.'	11 But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in order to be saved, in the same manner also as them.”
12 The entire assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing al the signs andwonders God had worked through them among the gentiles.	12 Then the entire multitude was silent. And they were listening to Barnabas and Paul, describing what great signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.
13 When they had finished it was James who spoke. 'My brothers,' he said, 'listen to me.	13 And after they had been silent, James responded by saying: “Noble brothers, listen to me.
14 Simeon has described how God first arranged to enlist a people for his name out of the gentiles.	14 Simon has explained in what manner God first visited, so as to take from the Gentiles a people to his name.
15 This is entirely in harmony with the words of the prophets, since the scriptures say:	15 And the words of the Prophets are in agreement with this, just as it was written:
16 After that I shal return and rebuild the fal en hut of David; I shal make good the gaps in it and restoreit.	16 ‘After these things, I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. And I will rebuild its ruins, and I will raise it up,
17 Then the rest of humanity, and of al the nations once cal ed mine, will look for the Lord, says the Lordwho made this	17 so that the rest of men may seek the Lord, along with all the nations over whom my name has been invoked, says the Lord, who does these things.’
18 known so long ago.	18 To the Lord, his own work has been known from eternity.
19 'My verdict is, then, that instead of making things more difficult for gentiles who turn to God,	19 Because of this, I judge that those who were converted to God from among the Gentiles are not to be disturbed,
20 we should send them a letter tel ing them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from il icitmarriages, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.	20 but instead that we write to them, that they should keep themselves from the defilement of idols, and from fornication, and from whatever has been suffocated, and from blood.
21 For Moses has always had his preachers in every town and is read aloud in the synagogues everySabbath.'	21 For Moses, from ancient times, has had in each city those who preach him in the synagogues, where he is read on every Sabbath.”
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose delegates from amongthemselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas, known as Barsabbas, and Silas, bothleading men in the brotherhood,	22 Then it pleased the Apostles and elders, with the whole Church, to choose men from among them, and to send to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, and Judas, who was surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas, preeminent men among the brothers,
23 and gave them this letter to take with them: 'The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings tothe brothers of gentile birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.	23 what was written by their own hands: “The Apostles and elders, brothers, to those who are at Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, brothers from the Gentiles, greetings.
24 We hear that some people coming from here, but acting without any authority from ourselves, havedisturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds;	24 Since we have heard that some, going out from among us, have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no commandment,
25 and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with our wel -beloved Barnabas and Paul,	25 it pleased us, being assembled as one, to choose men and to send them to you, with our most beloved Barnabas and Paul:
26 who have committed their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.	26 men who have handed over their lives on behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who wil confirm by word of mouth what we havewritten.	27 Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also will, with the spoken word, reaffirm to you the same things.
28 It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to impose on you any burden beyondthese essentials:	28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose no further burden upon you, other than these necessary things:
29 you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals andfrom illicit marriages. Avoid these, and you wil do what is right. Farewel .'	29 that you abstain from things immolated to idols, and from blood, and from what has been suffocated, and from fornication. You will do well to keep yourselves from these things. Farewell.”
30 The party left and went down to Antioch, where they summoned the whole community and deliveredthe letter.	30 And so, having been dismissed, they went down to Antioch. And gathering the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.
31 The community read it and were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.	31 And when they had read it, they were gladdened by this consolation.
32 Judas and Silas, being themselves prophets, spoke for a long time, encouraging and strengtheningthe brothers.	32 But Judas and Silas, being also prophets themselves, consoled the brothers with many words, and they were strengthened.
33 These two spent some time there, and then the brothers wished them peace andwent back to thosewho had sent them.	33 Then, after spending some more time there, they were dismissed with peace, by the brothers, to those who had sent them.
34	34 But it seemed good to Silas to remain there. So Judas alone departed to Jerusalem.
35 Paul and Barnabas, however, stayed on in Antioch, and there with many others they taught andproclaimed the good news, the word of the Lord.	35 And Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, with many others, teaching and evangelizing the Word of the Lord.
36 On a later occasion Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the townswhere we preached the word of the Lord, so that we can see how they are doing.'	36 Then, after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return to visit the brothers throughout all the cities in which we have preached the Word of the Lord, to see how they are.”
37 Barnabas suggested taking John Mark,	37 And Barnabas wanted to take John, who was surnamed Mark, with them also.
38 but Paul was not in favour of taking along the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and hadrefused to share in their work.	38 But Paul was saying that he ought not to be received, since he withdrew from them at Pamphylia, and he had not gone with them in the work.
39 There was sharp disagreement so that they parted company, and Barnabas sailed off with Mark toCyprus.	39 And there occurred a dissension, to such an extent that they departed from one another. And Barnabas, indeed taking Mark, sailed to Cyprus.
40 Before Paul left, he chose Silas to accompany him and was commended by the brothers to the graceof God.	40 Yet truly, Paul, choosing Silas, set out, being delivered by the brothers to the grace of God.
41 He travel ed through Syria and Cilicia, consolidating the churches.	41 And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches, instructing them to keep the precepts of the Apostles and the elders.