Acts 15 :: New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB95)

The Council at Jerusalem

Act 15:1Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Act 15:2

Act 15:2And when Paul and Barnabas had [fn]great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

Act 15:3

Act 15:3Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.

Act 15:4

Act 15:4When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

Act 15:5

Act 15:5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

Act 15:6

Act 15:6The apostles and the elders came together to [fn]look into this [fn]matter.

Act 15:7

Act 15:7After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that [fn]in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

Act 15:8

Act 15:8“And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

Act 15:9

Act 15:9and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

Act 15:10

Act 15:10“Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

Act 15:11

Act 15:11“But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

Act 15:12

Act 15:12All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James's Judgment

Act 15:13

Act 15:13After they had stopped speaking, [fn]James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me.

Act 15:14

Act 15:14“Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.

Act 15:15

Act 15:15“With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

Act 15:16

Act 15:16‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return,
AND I WILL REBUILD THE [fn]TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN,
AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,

Act 15:17

Act 15:17SO THAT THE REST OF [fn]MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILES [fn]WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’

Act 15:18

Act 15:18SAYS THE LORD, WHO [fn]MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.

Act 15:19

Act 15:19“Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

Act 15:20

Act 15:20but that we write to them that they abstain from [fn]things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.

Act 15:21

Act 15:21“For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since [fn]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Act 15:22

Act 15:22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,

Act 15:23

Act 15:23and they [fn]sent this letter by them, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.

Act 15:24

Act 15:24“Since we have heard that some [fn]of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,

Act 15:25

Act 15:25it seemed good to us, having [fn]become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

Act 15:26

Act 15:26men who have [fn]risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 15:27

Act 15:27“Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

Act 15:28

Act 15:28“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

Act 15:29

Act 15:29that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; [fn]if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

Act 15:30

Act 15:30So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the [fn]congregation together, they delivered the letter.

Act 15:31

Act 15:31When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its [fn]encouragement.

Act 15:32

Act 15:32Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, [fn]encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.

Act 15:33

Act 15:33After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out.

Act 15:34

Act 15:34[[fn]But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.]

Act 15:35

Act 15:35But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.

Second Missionary Journey

Act 15:36

Act 15:36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

Act 15:37

Act 15:37Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.

Act 15:38

Act 15:38But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them [fn]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

Act 15:39

Act 15:39And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.

Act 15:40

Act 15:40But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

Act 15:41

Act 15:41And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

See the NASB95 Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NASB95 Footnotes

(15:2)

Literally: not a little

(15:6)

Literally: see about

(15:6)

Literally: word

(15:7)

Literally: from days of old

Or, Jacob

Or, tent

Gr anthropoi

Literally: upon whom My name is called

(15:18)

Or, does these things which were known

(15:20)

Literally: the pollutions of

(15:21)

I.e. the books of Moses, Gen through Deut

(15:23)

Literally: wrote by their hand

(15:24)

Literally: from us

(15:25)

Or, met together

(15:26)

Literally: given over

(15:29)

Literally: from which keeping yourselves free

Or, multitude

Or, exhortation

Or, exhorted

Early mss do not contain this v

(15:38)

Literally: from

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For more information on this translation, see the NASB95 Preface.

Acts Chapter 15 — Additional Translations: