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The Council in Jerusalem

^1 (C1)Some men came down from Judea and began teaching ^(C2)the brothers, "Unless you are ^(C3)circumcised according to ^(C4)the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."² And after Paul and Barnabas had ^(F1)a heated argument and ^(C1)debate with them, ^(C2)the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the ^(C3)apostles and elders concerning this issue.³ Therefore, after being ^(C1)sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both ^(C2)Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(C3)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all ^(C4)the brothers and sisters.⁴ When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, ^(C1)the apostles, and the elders, and they ^(C2)reported all that God had done with them.⁵ But some of ^(C1)the sect of the ^(C2)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, "It is necessary to ^(C3)circumcise ^(F1)them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses."

^6 (C1)The apostles and the elders came together to ^(F1)look into this ^(F2)matter.⁷ After there had been much ^(C1)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "^(F1)Brothers, you know that ^(F2)in the early days ^(C2)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of ^(C3)the gospel and believe.⁸ "And God, ^(C1)who knows the heart, testified to them ^(C2)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;⁹ and ^(C1)He made no distinction between us and them, ^(C2)cleansing their hearts by faith.¹⁰ "Since this is the case, why are you ^(C1)putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which ^(C2)neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?¹¹ "But we believe that we are saved through ^(C1)the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."

¹² All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were ^(C1)relating all the ^(C2)signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James' Judgment

¹⁶ '^(C1)AFTER THESE THINGS ^(C2)I will return,
AND I WILL REBUILD THE FALLEN ^(F1)TABERNACLE OF DAVID,
AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,

^17 (C1)SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILES ^(F1)(C2)WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,'

^18 (C1)SAYS THE LORD, WHO ^(F1)(C2)MAKES THESE THINGS known from long ago.

²² Then it seemed good to ^(C1)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to ^(C2)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and ^(C3)Silas, leading men among ^(C4)the brothers,²³ and they ^(F1)sent this letter with them: "^(C1)The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to ^(C2)the brothers and sisters in ^(C3)Antioch, ^(C4)Syria, and ^(C5)Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: ^(C6)Greetings.²⁴ Since we have heard that ^(C1)some ^(F1)of our number to whom we gave no instruction have ^(C2)confused you by their ^(F2)teaching, upsetting your souls,^25 (C1)it seemed good to us, having ^(F1)become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,²⁶ men who have ^(F1)(C1)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.²⁷ Therefore, we have sent ^(C1)Judas and ^(C2)Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.²⁸ For ^(C1)it seemed good to ^(C2)the Holy Spirit and to ^(C3)us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:²⁹ that you abstain from ^(C1)things sacrificed to idols, from ^(C1)blood, from ^(C1)things strangled, and from ^(C1)acts of sexual immorality; ^(F1)if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."

³⁰ So when they were sent away, ^(C1)they went down to Antioch; and after gathering the ^(F1)congregation together, they delivered the letter.³¹ When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its ^(F1)encouragement.^32 (C1)Judas and ^(C2)Silas, also being ^(C3)prophets themselves, ^(F1)encouraged and strengthened ^(C4)the brothers and sisters with a lengthy message.³³ After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brothers and sisters ^(C1)in peace to those who had ^(C2)sent them out.^(F1)35 But ^(C1)Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and ^(C2)preaching ^(C3)the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Second Missionary Journey

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return and visit the brothers and sisters in ^(C1)every city in which we proclaimed ^(C2)the word of the Lord, and see how they are."³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take ^(C1)John, called Mark, along with them also.³⁸ But Paul was of the opinion that they should not take along with them this man who had ^(C1)deserted them ^(F1)in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.³⁹ Now it turned into such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took ^(C1)Mark with him and sailed away to ^(C2)Cyprus.⁴⁰ But Paul chose ^(C1)Silas, and left after being ^(C2)entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.⁴¹ And he was traveling through ^(C1)Syria and ^(C2)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.