Acts:15

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* BUT certain men came down from Judaea and undertook to teach the brethren , "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses , you cannot be saved ." * Since no little dissension and controversy arose between Paul and Barnabas and these men , it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question . * So they were sent on by the church and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria , relating the conversion of the Gentiles , which caused great joy to all the brethren . * On their arrival in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders , and they narrated all that God , working with them , had done . * Then some of the party of the Pharisees , who had become believers , rose and said , "We must circumcise them and tell them to keep the Law of Moses ." * The apostles and elders met to confer about this matter . * After there had been much debate , Peter rose and said to them , "Brethren , you know that in early days God chose among you that through my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of good news and should believe . * And God , who knows all hearts , bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit , just as he did to us . * He made no difference between us and them in cleansing their hearts by faith . * Now , therefore , why are you testing God by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear ? * On the contrary we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus just as they are ." * The whole assembly remained silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul relating all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles . * When they ceased speaking , James said , "Brethren , listen to me . * Symeon has told how first God graciously visited the Gentiles and took a people for his name . * With this the words of the prophets agree , as it is written , * 'After this I will return and build up again the tent of David which has fallen down ; yes , I will build up its ruins and erect it again , * that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord , even all the Gentiles upon whom my name has been bestowed , says the Lord * who does these things foreknown from of old .' * Therefore I judge best not to trouble those of the Gentiles who have turned to God , * but to write to them to abstain from contamination with idols , and from unchastity , and from what has been strangled , and from blood . * For Moses has had for generations past in every city those who preach him , for he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath ." * Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders , with the whole church , to select men from themselves and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas ; namely , Judas called Barsabbas , and Silas , men esteemed among the brethren . * They wrote and sent by their hands the following letter : "The Apostles and the Brethren who are elders , to the Brethren from the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia : Greeting . * "Inasmuch as we have heard that certain persons from us have troubled you with words , unsettling your minds , \'97 men whom we did not authorize , \'97 * it seemed good , after unanimous agreement , to select some men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul , * who have exposed their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . * We have sent therefore Judas and Silas , who will tell you orally the same things . * For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no further burden than these necessary things : * to abstain from things sacrificed to idols , and from blood , and from strangled things , and from unchastity . If you keep yourselves from these you will do well . Farewell ." * So they were sent away and went down to Antioch , where they called together the whole body and delivered over the letter . * On reading it they rejoiced over the encouragement . * Both Judas and Silas , being themselves prophets , encouraged and confirmed the brethren by long addresses . * After spending some time they were sent away with a message of peace from the brethren to those who had sent them . riversident @Acts:15:34 " /> * Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch teaching and telling , in association with many others , the good news of the Lord 's message . * After some time Paul said to Barnabas , "Let us go back and visit the brethren in every city in which we made known the Lord 's message , and see how they are prospering ." * Barnabas wished to take along John who was called Mark . * But Paul did not approve of taking him along , since he had left them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them into the work . * Such a difference of feeling resulted that they separated from each other . Barnabas took Mark and sailed away to Cyprus . * Paul selected Silas and left , after being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brethren . * They went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches .

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