¹And certain ones, when they had come down from Judea, were teaching the brothers that, "Unless you shall become circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you are not able to be saved."

²Then when there was happening no small commotion and controversy by Paul and Barnabas with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and certain others out from them to go up to the sent ones and elders to Jerusalem about this question.

³Therefore they indeed, when they had been sent forward by the assembly, were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, relating in detail the conversion of the nations, and they were bringing great joy to all the brothers.

⁴Then having come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the sent ones and the elders, and they declared how much God did with them.

⁵Now certain of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed rose up, saying that, "It is necessary to circumcise them, to command them then to keep the law of Moses."

⁶Then the sent ones and the elders were gathered together to understand about this matter.

⁷Now of much controversy having taken place, Peter, having risen up, said to them, "Men, brothers, you yourselves know that from early days God chose among you, through my mouth, that the nations hear the word of the good news and trust.

⁸And the heart-knowing God bore witness to them, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us;

⁹and He made no distinction between us and them, having purified their hearts by the trust.

¹⁰Therefore now, why are you testing God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we ourselves were able to bear?

¹¹But through the favor of the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, we trust to be saved in the same manner as they also."

¹²Now all the multitude kept silent and were listening to Barnabas and Paul relating how much God did signs and wonders among the nations through them.

¹³Now after the being silent, James answered, saying, "Men, brothers, hear me.

¹⁴Simeon has related, even as first God visited to take out of the nations a people for his name;

¹⁵and with this agree the words of the prophets, even as it has been written:

¹⁶'After these things I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which having fallen, and its ruined I will rebuild, and I will set it upright,

¹⁷so that the remnant of men may seek out the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name has been called upon them, says the Lord who is doing all these things,'

¹⁸known from eternity to God are all his works.

¹⁹Therefore I myself judge not to trouble those who from the nations are turning to God,

²⁰but to write to them to abstain from the pollutions of the idols and the sexual immorality and that which is strangled and from blood.

²¹For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who proclaim him; he is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."

²²Then it seemed good to the sent ones and to the elders with all the assembly, having chosen men out from them, to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas Judas, who is called Barsabbas, and Silas, men leading among the brothers,

²³having written through their hand these things: "The sent ones and the elders and the brothers, to those in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, to the brothers among the nations: Greeting.

²⁴Inasmuch as we have heard that some from us went out and troubled you by words, upsetting your minds, saying to be circumcised and to keep the law, to whom we had not given instructions,

²⁵it seemed good to us, having come with one accord, having chosen men, to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

²⁶men having handed over their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.

²⁷Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, and they through word of mouth are telling you the same things.

²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no further burden except these necessary things:

²⁹to abstain from idol-sacrifices and from blood and from a strangled one and from sexual immorality; from these keeping yourselves, you will do well. Farewell!"

³⁰Therefore they indeed, when they had been sent off, went to Antioch, and had gathered the multitude, they delivered the letter.

³¹Now when they had read it, they rejoiced at the encouragement.

³²Judas both and Silas, themselves also being prophets, through much talk exhorted the brothers and strengthened them.

³³Then when they had continued a time, they were sent away in wholeness from the brothers to those having sent them.

³⁴But it seemed good to Silas to remain here.

³⁵But Paul and Barnabas were staying in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord as good news with also many others.

³⁶Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "When we had turned back indeed, let us look after our brothers in every city in which we have announced the word of the Lord, how they are."

³⁷Now Barnabas was planning to take along also John, who is called Mark;

³⁸but Paul was considering the one having withdrawn from them from Pamphylia and not having gone with them to the work, not to take him along.

³⁹Therefore a sharp disagreement arose, so that they separated from one another, and Barnabas, having taken Mark, sailed to Cyprus.

⁴⁰But Paul, having chosen Silas, went forth, having been committed to the favor of the Lord by the brothers.

⁴¹Then he was passing through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.