rkjnt Acts:15:1-35 SEEK
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And certain men who came down from Judaea taught the brethren ,
saying ,
Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses ,
you cannot be saved .
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Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them ,
they determined that Paul and Barnabas ,
and certain others of them ,
should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question .
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And being sent on their way by the church ,
they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria ,
telling of the conversion of the Gentiles :
and they brought great joy to all the brethren .
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And when they had come to Jerusalem ,
they were welcomed by the church ,
and by the apostles and elders ,
and they reported all things that God had done with them .
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But some from the sect of the Pharisees who had believed ,
rose up ,
saying ,
It is necessary to circumcise them ,
and to command them to keep the law of Moses .
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And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter .
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And when there had been much disputing ,
Peter rose up ,
and said to them ,
Brethren ,
you know that a good while ago God made a choice among us ,
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel ,
and believe .
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And God ,
who knows the heart ,
bore them witness ,
giving them the Holy Spirit ,
even as he did to us ;
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And he made no distinction between us and them ,
purifying their hearts by faith .
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Now then ,
why do you put God to the test by putting a yoke upon the necks of the disciples ,
which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear ?
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But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved ,
just as they will .
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Then all the multitude kept silence ,
and listened as Barnabas and Paul declared what miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles by them .
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And after they had finished ,
James answered ,
Brethren ,
listen to me :
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Simeon has declared how God first visited the Gentiles ,
to take out of them a people for his name .
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And with this the words of the prophets agree ;
as it is written ,
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After this I will return ,
and will build again the tabernacle of David ,
which has fallen down ;
I will build again the ruins ,
and I will set it up :
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That the rest of men might seek after the Lord ,
and all the Gentiles ,
who are called by my name ,
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Says the Lord ,
who makes these things known from of old .
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Therefore ,
my judgment is that we do not trouble those who have turned to God from among the Gentiles :
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But that we write to them ,
to abstain from the pollutions of idols ,
and from sexual immorality ,
and from things strangled ,
and from blood .
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For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him ,
for he is read in the synagogues every sabbath day .
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Then it pleased the apostles and elders ,
with the whole church ,
to choose men from their own company to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas ;
so they sent Judas called Barsabbas ,
and Silas ,
leaders among the brethren :
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And they sent this letter with them ;
The brethren ,
both apostles and elders ,
send greetings to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia :
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Since we have heard that some ,
to whom we gave no such commandment ,
went out from us and have troubled you with their words ,
subverting your souls ,
saying ,
You must be circumcised ,
and keep the law :
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It seemed good to us ,
having come to one accord ,
to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul ,
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Men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ .
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Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas ,
who shall tell you the same things by mouth .
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For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit ,
and to us ,
to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things ;
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That you abstain from foods offered to idols ,
and from blood ,
and from things strangled ,
and from sexual immorality .
If you keep yourselves from these ,
you shall do well .
Farewell .
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So when they were sent away ,
they went down to Antioch :
and when they had gathered the multitude together ,
they delivered the letter :
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When they had read it ,
the people rejoiced at the exhortation .
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And Judas and Silas ,
being prophets themselves ,
exhorted the brethren with many words ,
and strengthened them .
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And after they had remained there a time ,
they were let go in peace by the brethren to those who had sent them .
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But it pleased Silas to remain there .]
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But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch ,
teaching and preaching the word of the Lord ,
along with many others .