noyes Acts:15:1-35 SEEK
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And there came down certain men from Judaea ,
and taught the brethren ,
Unless ye are circumcised after the custom of Moses ,
ye cannot be saved .
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But when Paul and Barnabas had 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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They therefore ,
having been sent forward by the church ,
passed through Phoenicia and Samaria ,
declaring the conversion of the gentiles ;
and they caused great joy to all the brethren .
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And having come to Jerusalem ,
they were welcomed by the church ,
and by the apostles and elders ,
and they related what great things God had wrought with them .
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But there rose up certain believers of the sect of the Pharisees ,
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 the elders came together to consider this matter .
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And after much debate ,
Peter rose up and said to them ,
Brethren ,
ye know that a long time ago God made choice among you ,
that by my mouth the gentiles should hear the word of the glad tidings ,
and believe .
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And God ,
who knoweth the heart ,
bore them witness ,
giving them the Holy Spirit ,
as he gave it to us ;
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and made no difference between us and them ,
having purified their hearts by faith .
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Now therefore why do ye provoke the anger of God ,
by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples ,
which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear ?
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But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus ,
in the same manner as they .
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And all the multitude became silent ,
and listened to Barnabas and Paul ,
while they related what great signs and wonders God had wrought among the gentiles by them .
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And after they had done speaking ,
James answered ,
saying ,
Brethren ,
hearken to me .
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Simeon hath related how God first visited the gentiles ,
to take out of them a people for his name .
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And with this agree the words of the Prophets ,
as it is written :
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After this I will return ,
and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which hath fallen ;
and I will rebuild its ruins ,
and will set it up ;
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that the rest of men may seek after the Lord ,
and all the gentiles ,
who have been called by my name ,
saith the Lord ,
who doeth these things ,
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which were known from the beginning ."
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Wherefore my judgment is ,
that we should not trouble those who from among the gentiles are turning to God ;
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but that we should write to them by letter to abstain from pollutions of idols ,
and from fornication ,
and from that which hath been strangled ,
and from blood .
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For Moses from the times of old hath had in every city those who preach him ,
being read in the synagogues every sabbath .
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Then it was decided by the apostles and the elders ,
with the whole church ,
to choose men from among themselves ,
and send them to Antioch ,
with Paul and Barnabas ,
namely ,
Judas called Barsabbas ,
and Silas ,
leading men among the brethren .
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And they wrote by them , "
The apostles ,
and the elders ,
and the brethren ,
to the brethren who are from the gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia ,
greeting .
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Whereas we have heard ,
that some who went out from us have troubled you with words ,
subverting your souls ,
to whom we gave no command ;
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it seemed good to us ,
having become of one mind ,
to choose men and send them to you ,
with our beloved Barnabas and Paul ,
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men who have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ .
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We have sent therefore Judas and Silas ,
who will themselves tell you the same things by word of mouth .
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For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us ,
to lay upon you no further burden except these necessary things :
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to abstain from meats offered to idols ,
and from blood ,
and from things strangled ,
and from fornication ;
from which if ye keep yourselves ,
ye will do well .
Farewell ."
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They therefore being sent away came to Antioch ;
and when they had gathered the multitude together ,
they delivered the letter .
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And when they had read it ,
they rejoiced over the encouragement .
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And Judas and Silas ,
who were themselves prophets ,
exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them .
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And when they had remained some time ,
they were dismissed with peace from the brethren to those who sent them .
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Acts:15:34 " />
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But Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch ,
teaching and publishing ,
with many others also ,
the glad tidings of the word of the Lord .