Verse-Reference
Reference-Verse
Abbreviate Books
Quotes around Verses      |
 Act 15:1 |
Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." |
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Act 15:2 |
This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. |
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Act 15:3 |
The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. |
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Act 15:4 |
When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. |
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Act 15:5 |
Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." |
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Act 15:6 |
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. |
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Act 15:7 |
After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. |
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Act 15:8 |
God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. |
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Act 15:9 |
He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. |
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Act 15:10 |
Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? |
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Act 15:11 |
No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." |
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Act 15:12 |
The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. |
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Act 15:13 |
When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. |
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Act 15:14 |
Simon [fn] has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. |
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Act 15:15 |
The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: |
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Act 15:16 |
" 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, |
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Act 15:17 |
that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' [fn] |
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Act 15:18 |
that have been known for ages. [fn] |
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Act 15:19 |
"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. |
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Act 15:20 |
Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. |
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Act 15:21 |
For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath." |
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Act 15:22 |
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. |
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Act 15:23 |
With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. |
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Act 15:24 |
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. |
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Act 15:25 |
So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul- |
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Act 15:26 |
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
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Act 15:27 |
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. |
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Act 15:28 |
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: |
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Act 15:29 |
You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. |
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Act 15:30 |
The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. |
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Act 15:31 |
The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. |
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Act 15:32 |
Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. |
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Act 15:33 |
After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. [fn] |
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Act 15:34 |
Omitted from the NIV. See the  button or the footnotes for additional information.
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Act 15:35 |
But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord. |
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Act 15:36 |
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." |
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Act 15:37 |
Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, |
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Act 15:38 |
but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. |
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Act 15:39 |
They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, |
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Act 15:40 |
but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. |
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Act 15:41 |
He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. |
NIV Footnotes:
- (15:14) Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter
- (15:17) Amos 9:11,12
- (15:17-18) Some manuscripts things'– / 18 known to the Lord for ages is his work
- (15:33) Some manuscripts them, 34 but Silas decided to remain there
