Acts 15 :: New International Version (NIV)

The Council at Jerusalem

Act 15:1Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Act 15:2

Act 15:2This 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.

Act 15:3

Act 15:3The 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 believers very glad.

Act 15:4

Act 15:4When 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.

Act 15:5

Act 15:5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”

Act 15:6

Act 15:6The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

Act 15:7

Act 15:7After 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.

Act 15:8

Act 15:8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.

Act 15:9

Act 15:9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Act 15:10

Act 15:10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?

Act 15:11

Act 15:11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Act 15:12

Act 15:12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

Act 15:13

Act 15:13When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.

Act 15:14

Act 15:14Simon[fn] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.

Act 15:15

Act 15:15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

Act 15:16

Act 15:16“ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,

Act 15:17

Act 15:17that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’[fn]—

Act 15:18

Act 15:18things known from long ago.[fn]

Act 15:19

Act 15:19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

Act 15:20

Act 15:20Instead 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.

Act 15:21

Act 15:21For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

Act 15:22

Act 15:22Then 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, men who were leaders among the believers.

Act 15:23

Act 15:23With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.

Act 15:24

Act 15:24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.

Act 15:25

Act 15:25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—

Act 15:26

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

Act 15:27

Act 15:27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.

Act 15:28

Act 15:28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

Act 15:29

Act 15:29You 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.

Act 15:30

Act 15:30So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.

Act 15:31

Act 15:31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

Act 15:32

Act 15:32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.

Act 15:33

Act 15:33After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.[fn]

Act 15:34

Act 15:34 See Footnote

Act 15:35

Act 15:35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

Act 15:36

Act 15:36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”

Act 15:37

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

Act 15:38

Act 15:38but 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.

Act 15:39

Act 15:39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,

Act 15:40

Act 15:40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.

Act 15:41

Act 15:41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

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

NIV Footnotes

(15:14)

Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter

(15:17)

Amos 9:11,12 (see Septuagint)

(15:17)

Some manuscripts things’— / 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago

(15:18)

Some manuscripts things’— / 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago

(15:34)

Some manuscripts include here But Silas decided to remain there.

BLB Footnotes

(15:34)

Some Greek manuscripts exclude this verse. The NIV related footnote for 15:33 states:
Some manuscripts include here But Silas decided to remain there.

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Acts Chapter 15 — Additional Translations:

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