Acts 15 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The Jerusalem Council

1 Some ^G5100 men ^G5100 came ^G2718 down ^G2718 from Judea ^G2449 and began teaching ^G1321 the brothers ^G80, “Unless ^G1437 G3361 you are circumcised ^G4059 according to the custom ^G1485 of Moses ^G3475, you cannot ^G1410 G3756 be saved ^G4982.”

2 And when Paul ^G3972 and Barnabas ^G921 had ^G1096 not ^G3756 a little ^G3641 dissension ^G4714 and debate ^G2214 with them, the brothers determined ^G5021 that Paul ^G3972 and Barnabas ^G921 and some ^G5100 others ^G243 of them should go ^G305 up ^G305 to Jerusalem ^G2419 to the apostles ^G652 and elders ^G4245 concerning ^G4012 this ^G3778 issue ^G2213. 3 Therefore ^G3767, being sent ^G4311 on ^G4311 their way ^G4311 by the church ^G1577, they were passing ^G1330 through ^G1330 both ^G5037 Phoenicia ^G5403 and Samaria ^G4540, recounting ^G1555 in ^G1555 detail ^G1555 the conversion ^G1995 of the Gentiles ^G1484, and were bringing ^G4160 great ^G3173 joy ^G5479 to all ^G3956 the brothers ^G80. 4 When they arrived ^G3854 at Jerusalem ^G2414, they were received ^G3858 by the church ^G1577 and the apostles ^G652 and the elders ^G4245, and they reported ^G312 all ^G3745 that ^G3745 God ^G2316 had done ^G4160 with them. 5 But some ^G5100 of the sect ^G139 of the Pharisees ^G5330 who had believed ^G4100 stood ^G1817 up ^G1817, saying ^G3004, “It is necessary ^G1163 to circumcise ^G4059 them and to command ^G3853 them to keep ^G5083 the Law ^G3551 of Moses ^G3475.”

6 Both the apostles ^G652 and the elders ^G4245 came ^G4863 together ^G4863 to [fn]look ^G3708 into this ^G3778 [fn]matter ^G3056. 7 And after there had been ^G1096 much ^G4183 debate ^G2214, Peter ^G4074 stood ^G450 up ^G450 and said ^G3004 to them, “Brothers ^G435 G80, you know ^G1987 that [fn]in the early ^G744 days ^G2250 God ^G2316 made ^G1586 a ^G1586 choice ^G1586 among ^G1722 you, that by my mouth ^G4750 the Gentiles ^G1484 would hear ^G191 the word ^G3056 of the gospel ^G2098 and believe ^G4100. 8 And God ^G2316, who ^G2589 knows ^G2589 the ^G2589 heart ^G2589, testified ^G3140 to them giving ^G1325 them the Holy ^G40 Spirit ^G4151, just ^G2531 as He also ^G2532 did to us; 9 and He made ^G1252 no ^G3762 distinction ^G1252 between ^G3342 us and them, cleansing ^G2511 their hearts ^G2588 by faith ^G4102. 10 Now ^G3568 therefore ^G3767 why ^G5101 do you put ^G3985 God ^G2316 to ^G3985 the ^G3985 test ^G3985 by placing ^G2007 upon the neck ^G5137 of the disciples ^G3101 a yoke ^G2218 which ^G3739 neither ^G3777 our fathers ^G3962 nor ^G3777 we have been ^G2480 able ^G2480 to bear ^G941? 11 But we believe ^G4100 that we are saved ^G4982 through ^G1223 the grace ^G5485 of the Lord ^G2962 Jesus ^G2424, in the same ^G3739 way ^G5158 as they also ^G2548 are.”

12 And all ^G3956 the multitude ^G4128 kept ^G4601 silent ^G4601, and they were listening ^G191 to Barnabas ^G921 and Paul ^G3972 as they were relating ^G1834 what ^G3745 signs ^G4592 and wonders ^G5059 God ^G2316 had done ^G4160 through ^G1223 them among ^G1722 the Gentiles ^G1484.

James Issues a Judgment

13 Now after ^G3326 they had stopped ^G4601 speaking ^G4601, James ^G2385 answered ^G611, saying ^G3004, “Brothers ^G435 G80, listen ^G191 to me. 14 Simeon ^G4826 has related ^G1834 how ^G2531 God ^G2316 first ^G4413 concerned ^G1980 Himself about ^G1980 taking ^G2983 from among ^G1537 the Gentiles ^G1484 a people ^G2992 for His name ^G3686. 15 And with this ^G3778 the words ^G3056 of the Prophets ^G4396 agree ^G4856, just ^G2531 as it is written ^G1125,

16 ‘AFTER ^G3326 THESE ^G3778 THINGS ^G3778 I will return ^G390,

AND I WILL REBUILD ^G456 THE FALLEN ^G4098 [fn]BOOTH ^G4633 OF DAVID ^G1138,

AND I WILL REBUILD ^G456 ITS RUINS ^G2690,

AND I WILL RESTORE ^G461 IT,

17 SO ^G3704 THAT THE REST ^G2645 OF [fn]MANKIND ^G444 MAY SEEK ^G1567 THE LORD ^G2962,

AND ALL ^G3956 THE GENTILES ^G1484 [fn]WHO ^G3739 ARE CALLED ^G1941 BY MY NAME ^G3686,’

18 SAYS ^G3004 THE [fn]LORD ^G2962, WHO [fn]MAKES ^G4160 THESE ^G3778 THINGS ^G3778 KNOWN ^G1110 FROM LONG ^G165 AGO ^G165.

19 Therefore ^G1352 I judge ^G2919 that we do not trouble ^G3926 those ^G3588 who are turning ^G1994 to God ^G2316 from among ^G575 the Gentiles ^G1484, 20 but that we write ^G1989 to them that they abstain ^G568 from things ^G234 contaminated ^G234 by idols ^G1497 and from sexual ^G4202 immorality ^G4202 and from what is strangled ^G4156 and from blood ^G129. 21 For from ancient ^G744 generations ^G1074, Moses ^G3475 has ^G2192 those ^G3588 who preach ^G2784 him in every ^G2596 city ^G4172, since [fn]he is read ^G314 in the synagogues ^G4864 every ^G3956 Sabbath ^G4521.”

22 Then ^G5119 it seemed ^G1380 good ^G1380 to the apostles ^G652 and the elders ^G4245, with the whole ^G3650 church ^G1577, to choose ^G1586 men ^G435 from among ^G1537 them—Judas ^G2455 called ^G2564 Barsabbas ^G923, and Silas ^G4609, leading ^G2233 men ^G435 among ^G1722 the brothers ^G80—to send ^G3992 to Antioch ^G490 with Paul ^G3972 and Barnabas ^G921, 23 and they [fn]sent ^G1125 this letter ^G1125 by them,

“The apostles ^G652 and the brothers ^G80 who are elders ^G4245, to the brothers ^G80 in Antioch ^G490 and Syria ^G4947 and Cilicia ^G2791 who ^G3588 are from the Gentiles ^G1484, greetings ^G5463.

24 Since ^G1894 we have heard ^G191 that some ^G5100 of us ^G1473, to whom ^G3739 we gave ^G1291 no ^G3756 instruction ^G1291, have gone out ^G1831 and disturbed ^G5015 you with their words ^G3056, unsettling ^G384 your souls ^G5590,

25 it seemed ^G1380 good ^G1380 to us, having [fn]come ^G1096 to one ^G3661 accord ^G3661, to select ^G1586 men ^G435 to send ^G3992 to you with our beloved ^G27 Barnabas ^G921 and Paul ^G3972,

26 men ^G444 who have [fn]risked ^G3860 their lives ^G5590 for the name ^G3686 of our Lord ^G2962 Jesus ^G2424 Christ ^G5547.

27 Therefore ^G3767 we have sent ^G649 Judas ^G2455 and Silas ^G4609, and they themselves ^G846 will report ^G518 the same ^G846 things ^G846 by word ^G3056 of mouth.

28 For it seemed ^G1380 good ^G1380 to the Holy ^G40 Spirit ^G4151 and to us to lay ^G2007 upon ^G2007 you no ^G3367 greater ^G4183 burden ^G922 than ^G4133 these ^G3778 essentials ^G1876:

29 that you abstain ^G568 from things ^G1494 sacrificed ^G1494 to ^G1494 idols ^G1494 and from blood ^G129 and from things ^G4156 strangled ^G4156 and from sexual ^G4202 immorality ^G4202, from which ^G3779 if you keep ^G1301 yourselves ^G1438, you will do ^G4238 well ^G2095. Farewell ^G4517.”

30 So ^G3767 when they were sent ^G630 away ^G630, they went ^G2718 down ^G2718 to Antioch ^G490; and having gathered ^G4863 the [fn]congregation ^G4128 together ^G4863, they delivered ^G1929 the letter ^G1992. 31 And when they had read ^G314 it, they rejoiced ^G5463 because ^G1909 of its [fn]encouragement ^G3874. 32 And both Judas ^G2455 and Silas ^G4609, also ^G2532 being ^G1510 prophets ^G4396 themselves ^G846, [fn]encouraged ^G3870 and strengthened ^G1991 the brothers ^G80 with a lengthy ^G4183 message ^G3056. 33 And after they had spent ^G4160 time ^G5550 there, they were sent ^G630 away ^G630 from the brothers ^G80 in peace ^G1515 to those ^G3588 who had sent ^G649 them. 34 [fn][But it seemed ^G1380 good ^G1380 to Silas ^G4609 to remain ^G1961 there ^G847.] 35 But Paul ^G3972 and Barnabas ^G921 spent ^G1304 a long ^G1304 time ^G1304 in Antioch ^G490, teaching ^G1321 and [fn]preaching ^G2097 with many ^G4183 others ^G2087 also ^G2532, the word ^G3056 of the Lord ^G2962.

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

36 Now after ^G3326 some ^G5100 days ^G2250 Paul ^G3972 said ^G3004 to Barnabas ^G921, “Let us return ^G1994 and visit ^G1980 the brothers ^G80 in every ^G3956 city ^G4172 in which ^G3739 we proclaimed ^G2605 the word ^G3056 of the Lord ^G2962, and see how ^G4459 they are.”

37 And Barnabas ^G921 wanted ^G1014 to take ^G4838 John ^G2491, called ^G2564 Mark ^G3138, along ^G4838 with them also ^G2532. 38 But Paul ^G3972 kept insisting ^G515 that they should not take ^G4838 him along ^G4838 who had deserted ^G868 them [fn]in Pamphylia ^G3828 and had not gone ^G4905 with them to the work ^G2041. 39 And there was ^G1096 such a sharp ^G3948 disagreement ^G3948 that they separated ^G673 from one ^G240 another ^G240, and Barnabas ^G921 took ^G3880 Mark ^G3138 with him and sailed ^G1602 away ^G1602 to Cyprus ^G2954. 40 But Paul ^G3972 chose ^G1951 Silas ^G4609 and left ^G1831, being committed ^G3860 by the brothers ^G80 to the grace ^G5485 of the Lord ^G2962. 41 And he was traveling ^G1330 through ^G1330 Syria ^G4947 and Cilicia ^G2791, strengthening ^G1991 the churches ^G1577.