Acts 15
The Council at
Jerusalem |
1 |
And certain men which came down from
Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised
after the manner of Moses, Lev. 12.3 ye cannot be saved.
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2 |
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no
small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that
Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to
Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this
question.
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3 |
And being brought on their way by the
church, they passed through Phoeni'cia and Samaria, declaring the
conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the
brethren.
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4 |
And when they were come to Jerusalem,
they were received of the church, and of the apostles and
elders, and they declared all things that God had done with
them.
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5 |
But there rose up certain of the sect of
the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to
circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of
Moses.
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6 |
And the apostles and elders came
together for to consider of this matter.
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7 |
And when there had been much disputing,
Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know
how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the
Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and
believe. Acts 10.1-43
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8 |
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare
them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, Acts 10.44 even as he did unto us; Acts 2.4
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9 |
and put no difference between us and
them, purifying their hearts by faith.
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10 |
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a
yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor
we were able to bear?
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11 |
But we believe that through the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
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12 |
Then all the multitude kept silence,
and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and
wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
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13 |
And after they had held their peace,
James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto
me:
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14 |
Simeon hath declared how God at the first
did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his
name.
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15 |
And to this agree the words of the
prophets; as it is written,
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16 |
After this I will return,
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and will build again the tabernacle of David, which
is fallen down; |
and I will build again the ruins thereof, |
and I will set it
up: |
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17 |
that the residue of men might seek after
the Lord,
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and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is
called, |
saith the Lord, who doeth all these
things. |
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18 |
Known unto God are all his works from the
beginning of the world. Amos 9.11, 12
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19 |
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble
not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
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20 |
but that we write unto them, that they
abstain from pollutions of idols, Ex. 34.15-17 and from fornication, Lev. 18.6-23 and from things strangled, and from blood. Lev. 17.10-16
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21 |
For Moses of old time hath in every city
them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath
day.
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22 |
Then pleased it the apostles and
elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own
company to An'ti-och with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas
surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the
brethren:
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23 |
and they wrote letters by them
after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in An'ti-och
and Syria and Cili'cia:
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24 |
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain
which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your
souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to
whom we gave no such commandment:
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25 |
it seemed good unto us, being assembled
with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved
Barnabas and Paul,
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26 |
men that have hazarded their lives for
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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27 |
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas,
who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
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28 |
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and
to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary
things;
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29 |
that ye abstain from meats offered to
idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from
fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.
Fare ye well.
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30 |
So when they were dismissed, they came
to An'ti-och: and when they had gathered the multitude together,
they delivered the epistle:
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31 |
which when they had read, they
rejoiced for the consolation.
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32 |
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also
themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
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33 |
And after they had tarried there a
space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the
apostles.
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34 |
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide
there still.
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35 |
Paul also and Barnabas continued in
An'ti-och, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many
others also.
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Paul Separates from
Barnabas and Begins the Second Missionary Journey |
36 |
And some days after, Paul said unto
Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where
we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they
do.
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37 |
And Barnabas determined to take with them
John, whose surname was Mark.
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38 |
But Paul thought not good to take him
with them, who departed from them from Pamphyl'i-a, Acts 13.13 and went not with them to the work.
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39 |
And the contention was so sharp between
them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas
took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
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40 |
and Paul chose Silas, and departed, being
recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
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41 |
And he went through Syria and Cili'cia,
confirming the churches.
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