The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 15 -

And certain ones, descending from Judea, were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

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.

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.

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.

The Council at Jerusalem

(Amos 9:11–15; Galatians 2:1–10)

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.”

And the Apostles and elders came together to take care of this matter.

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.

And God, who knows hearts, offered testimony, by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as to us.

And he distinguished nothing between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

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?

But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in order to be saved, in the same manner also as them.”

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.

And after they had been silent, James responded by saying: “Noble brothers, listen to me.

Simon has explained in what manner God first visited, so as to take from the Gentiles a people to his name.

And the words of the Prophets are in agreement with this, just as it was written:

‘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,

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.’

To the Lord, his own work has been known from eternity.

Because of this, I judge that those who were converted to God from among the Gentiles are not to be disturbed,

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.

For Moses, from ancient times, has had in each city those who preach him in the synagogues, where he is read on every Sabbath.”

The Letter to the Gentile Believers

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,

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.

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,

it pleased us, being assembled as one, to choose men and to send them to you, with our most beloved Barnabas and Paul:

men who have handed over their lives on behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also will, with the spoken word, reaffirm to you the same things.

For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose no further burden upon you, other than these necessary things:

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.”(a)

(b)

The Believers at Antioch Rejoice

And so, having been dismissed, they went down to Antioch. And gathering the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.

And when they had read it, they were gladdened by this consolation.

But Judas and Silas, being also prophets themselves, consoled the brothers with many words, and they were strengthened.

Then, after spending some more time there, they were dismissed with peace, by the brothers, to those who had sent them.

But it seemed good to Silas to remain there. So Judas alone departed to Jerusalem.

And Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, with many others, teaching and evangelizing the Word of the Lord.

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Begins

(Acts 13:1–3; Acts 18:23–28)

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.”

And Barnabas wanted to take John, who was surnamed Mark, with them also.

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.

And there occurred a dissension, to such an extent that they departed from one another. And Barnabas, indeed taking Mark, sailed to Cyprus.

Yet truly, Paul, choosing Silas, set out, being delivered by the brothers to the grace of God.

And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches, instructing them to keep the precepts of the Apostles and the elders.

Footnotes

(a)15:29 The figurative meaning of this four-fold prohibition (idols, blood, suffocated bodies of animals, fornication) refers to abstaining from the abomination of desolation, a false Eucharist. The abomination is idolatry, it is blood and meat (but not the true body and blood of Christ), and it is connected with severe sexual immorality.(Conte)

(b)15:29 From blood, and from things strangled:The use of these things, though of their own nature indifferent, was here prohibited, to bring the Jews more easily to admit of the society of the Gentiles; and to exercise the latter in obedience. But this prohibition was but temporary, and has long since ceased to oblige; more especially in the western churches.(Challoner)

Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers,(a) “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.”

Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.

When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.

The Council at Jerusalem

(Amos 9:11–15; Galatians 2:1–10)

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.

When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe.

God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us.

He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus,(b) just as they are.”

All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.

After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me.

Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name.

This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written,

‘After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up

that the rest of men may seek after the Lord: all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.’(c)

“All of God’s works are known to him from eternity.

Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.

For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

The Letter to the Gentile Believers

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.(d)

They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.

Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment;

it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

The Believers at Antioch Rejoice

So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.

When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.

Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them.

After they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brothers to the apostles.

(e)

But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Begins

(Acts 13:1–3; Acts 18:23–28)

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return now and visit our brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”

Barnabas planned to take John, who was called Mark, with them also.

But Paul didn’t think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and didn’t go with them to do the work.

Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,

but Paul chose Silas and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.

Footnotes

(a)15:1 The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(b)15:11 TR adds “Christ”

(d)15:22 The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(e)15:34 Some manuscripts add: But it seemed good to Silas to stay there.