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¹ Some men came down from Yehudah and taught the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moshe, you can't be saved." ² Therefore when Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba, and some others of them, to go up to Yerushalayim to the apostles and Zakenim about this question. ³ They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Shomron, declaring the conversion of the Goyim. They caused great joy to all the brothers. ⁴ When they had come to Yerushalayim, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the Zakenim, and they reported all things that God had done with them. ⁵ But some of the sect of the Perushim who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moshe."

⁶ The apostles and the Zakenim were gathered together to see about this matter. ⁷ When there had been much discussion, Kefa rose up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Goyim should hear the word of the Good News, and believe. ⁸ God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Ruach HaKodesh, just like he did to us. ⁹ He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Yeshua, just as they are." ¹² All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the Goyim through them. ¹³ After they were silent, Ya`akov answered, "Brothers, listen to me. <sup>14</sup> Shim`on has reported how God first visited the Goyim, to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵ This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, ¹⁶ 'After these things I will return. I will again build the tent of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up, ¹⁷ That the rest of men may seek after the Lord; All the Goyim who are called by my name, Says the Lord, who does all these things. ¹⁸ All his works are known to God from eternity.' ¹⁹ "Therefore my judgment is that we don't trouble those from among the Goyim who turn to God, ²⁰ but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For Moshe from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Shabbat."

²² Then it seemed good to the apostles and the Zakenim, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba: Yehudah called Bar-Sabba, and Sila, chief men among the brothers. ²³ They wrote these things by their hand: "The apostles, the Zakenim, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Goyim in Antioch, Aram, and Cilicia: greetings. ²⁴ 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 mitzvah; ²⁵ it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. ²⁷ We have sent therefore Yehudah and Sila, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Ruach HaKodesh, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: ²⁹ 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." ³⁰ So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ When they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation. ³² Yehudah and Sila, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them. ³³ After they had spent some time there, they were sent back with greetings from the brothers to the apostles. ³⁵ But Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

³⁶ After some days Sha'ul said to Bar-Nabba, "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." ³⁷ Bar-Nabba planned to take Yochanan with them also, who was called Mark. ³⁸ But Sha'ul didn't think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and didn't go with them to do the work. ³⁹ Then there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other. Bar-Nabba took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Sha'ul chose Sila, and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God. ⁴¹ He went through Aram and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.