Acts 15 - New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

The Council at Jerusalem

15 (A)Some men came down from Judea and began teaching (B)the brethren, “Unless you are (C)circumcised according to (D)the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had [a]great dissension and (E)debate with them, (F)the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the (G)apostles and elders concerning this issue. 3 Therefore, being (H)sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both (I)Phoenicia and Samaria, (J)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all (K)the brethren. 4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and (L)the apostles and the elders, and they (M)reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of (N)the sect of the (O)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to (P)circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

6 (Q)The apostles and the elders came together to [b]look into this [c]matter. 7 After there had been much (R)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that [d]in the early days (S)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of (T)the gospel and believe. 8 And God, (U)who knows the heart, testified to them (V)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9 and (W)He made no distinction between us and them, (X)cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you (Y)put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which (Z)neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through (AA)the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were (AB)relating what (AC)signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’s Judgment

13 After they had stopped speaking, [e](AD)James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. 14 (AE)Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 With this the words of (AF)the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 ‘(AG)After these things (AH)I will return,
And I will rebuild the [f]tabernacle of David which has fallen,
And I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will restore it,
17 (AI)So that the rest of [g]mankind may seek the Lord,
And all the Gentiles [h](AJ)who are called by My name,’
18 (AK)Says the Lord, who [i](AL)makes these things known from long ago.

19 Therefore it is (AM)my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from [j](AN)things contaminated by idols and from (AO)fornication and from (AP)what is strangled and from blood. 21 For (AQ)Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since [k]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

22 Then it seemed good to (AR)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to (AS)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and (AT)Silas, leading men among (AU)the brethren, 23 and they [l]sent this letter by them,

“(AV)The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to (AW)the brethren in (AX)Antioch and (AY)Syria and (AZ)Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, (BA)greetings.

24 “Since we have heard that (BB)some [m]of our number to whom we gave no instruction have (BC)disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, 25 (BD)it seemed good to us, having [n]become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have [o](BE)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 “Therefore we have sent (BF)Judas and (BG)Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 “For (BH)it seemed good to (BI)the Holy Spirit and to (BJ)us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from (BK)things sacrificed to idols and from (BL)blood and from (BM)things strangled and from (BN)fornication; [p]if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

30 So when they were sent away, (BO)they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the [q]congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its [r]encouragement. 32 (BP)Judas and (BQ)Silas, also being (BR)prophets themselves, [s]encouraged and strengthened (BS)the brethren with a lengthy message. 33 After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren (BT)in peace to those who had (BU)sent them out. 34 [[t]But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.] 35 But (BV)Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and (BW)preaching with many others also, (BX)the word of the Lord.

Second Missionary Journey

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in (BY)every city in which we proclaimed (BZ)the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take (CA)John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had (CB)deserted them [u]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took (CC)Mark with him and sailed away to (CD)Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose (CE)Silas and left, being (CF)committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he was traveling through (CG)Syria and (CH)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:2 Lit not a little
  2. Acts 15:6 Lit see about
  3. Acts 15:6 Lit word
  4. Acts 15:7 Lit from days of old
  5. Acts 15:13 Or Jacob
  6. Acts 15:16 Or tent
  7. Acts 15:17 Gr anthropoi
  8. Acts 15:17 Lit upon whom My name is called
  9. Acts 15:18 Or does these things which were known
  10. Acts 15:20 Lit the pollutions of
  11. Acts 15:21 I.e. the books of Moses, Gen through Deut
  12. Acts 15:23 Lit wrote by their hand
  13. Acts 15:24 Lit from us
  14. Acts 15:25 Or met together
  15. Acts 15:26 Lit given over
  16. Acts 15:29 Lit from which keeping yourselves free
  17. Acts 15:30 Or multitude
  18. Acts 15:31 Or exhortation
  19. Acts 15:32 Or exhorted
  20. Acts 15:34 Early mss do not contain this v
  21. Acts 15:38 Lit from

Cross references

  1. Acts 15:1 : Acts 15:24
  2. Acts 15:1 : Acts 1:15; 15:3, 22, 32
  3. Acts 15:1 : Lev 12:3; Acts 15:5; 1 Cor 7:18; Gal 2:11, 14; 5:2f
  4. Acts 15:1 : Acts 6:14
  5. Acts 15:2 : Acts 15:7
  6. Acts 15:2 : Gal 2:2
  7. Acts 15:2 : Acts 11:30; 15:4, 6, 22, 23; 16:4
  8. Acts 15:3 : Acts 20:38; 21:5; Rom 15:24; 1 Cor 16:6, 11; 2 Cor 1:16; Titus 3:13; 3 John 6
  9. Acts 15:3 : Acts 11:19
  10. Acts 15:3 : Acts 14:27; 15:4, 12
  11. Acts 15:3 : Acts 1:15; 15:22, 32
  12. Acts 15:4 : Acts 11:30; 15:6, 22, 23; 16:4
  13. Acts 15:4 : Acts 14:27; 15:12
  14. Acts 15:5 : Acts 5:17; 24:5, 14; 26:5; 28:22
  15. Acts 15:5 : Matt 3:7; Acts 26:5
  16. Acts 15:5 : 1 Cor 7:18; Gal 2:11, 14; 5:2f
  17. Acts 15:6 : Acts 11:30; 15:4, 22, 23; 16:4
  18. Acts 15:7 : Acts 15:2
  19. Acts 15:7 : Acts 10:19f
  20. Acts 15:7 : Acts 20:24
  21. Acts 15:8 : Acts 1:24
  22. Acts 15:8 : Acts 2:4; 10:44, 47
  23. Acts 15:9 : Acts 10:28, 34; 11:12
  24. Acts 15:9 : Acts 10:43
  25. Acts 15:10 : Acts 5:9
  26. Acts 15:10 : Matt 23:4; Gal 5:1
  27. Acts 15:11 : Rom 3:24; 5:15; 2 Cor 13:14; Eph 2:5-8
  28. Acts 15:12 : Acts 14:27; 15:3, 4
  29. Acts 15:12 : John 4:48
  30. Acts 15:13 : Acts 12:17
  31. Acts 15:14 : Acts 15:7; 2 Pet 1:1
  32. Acts 15:15 : Acts 13:40
  33. Acts 15:16 : Amos 9:11
  34. Acts 15:16 : Jer 12:15
  35. Acts 15:17 : Amos 9:12
  36. Acts 15:17 : Deut 28:10; Is 63:19; Jer 14:9; Dan 9:19; James 2:7
  37. Acts 15:18 : Amos 9:12
  38. Acts 15:18 : Is 45:21
  39. Acts 15:19 : Acts 15:28; 21:25
  40. Acts 15:20 : Ex 34:15-17; Dan 1:8; Acts 15:29; 1 Cor 8:7, 13; 10:7f, 14-28; Rev 2:14, 20
  41. Acts 15:20 : Lev 18:6-23
  42. Acts 15:20 : Gen 9:4; Lev 3:17; 7:26; 17:10, 14; 19:26; Deut 12:16, 23; 15:23; 1 Sam 14:33
  43. Acts 15:21 : Acts 13:15; 2 Cor 3:14f
  44. Acts 15:22 : Acts 15:2
  45. Acts 15:22 : Acts 11:20
  46. Acts 15:22 : Acts 15:27, 32, 40; 16:19, 25, 29; 17:4, 10, 14f; 18:5; 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1; 1 Pet 5:12
  47. Acts 15:22 : Acts 15:1
  48. Acts 15:23 : Acts 15:2
  49. Acts 15:23 : Acts 15:1
  50. Acts 15:23 : Acts 11:20
  51. Acts 15:23 : Matt 4:24; Acts 15:41; Gal 1:21
  52. Acts 15:23 : Acts 6:9
  53. Acts 15:23 : Acts 23:26; James 1:1; 2 John 10f
  54. Acts 15:24 : Acts 15:1
  55. Acts 15:24 : Gal 1:7; 5:10
  56. Acts 15:25 : Acts 15:28
  57. Acts 15:26 : Acts 9:23ff; 14:19
  58. Acts 15:27 : Acts 15:22, 32
  59. Acts 15:27 : Acts 15:22
  60. Acts 15:28 : Acts 15:25
  61. Acts 15:28 : Acts 5:32; 15:8
  62. Acts 15:28 : Acts 15:19, 25
  63. Acts 15:29 : Acts 15:20
  64. Acts 15:29 : Acts 15:20
  65. Acts 15:29 : Acts 15:20
  66. Acts 15:29 : Acts 15:20
  67. Acts 15:30 : Acts 15:22f
  68. Acts 15:32 : Acts 15:22, 27
  69. Acts 15:32 : Acts 15:22
  70. Acts 15:32 : Acts 13:1
  71. Acts 15:32 : Acts 15:1
  72. Acts 15:33 : Mark 5:34; Acts 16:36; 1 Cor 16:11; Heb 11:31
  73. Acts 15:33 : Acts 15:22
  74. Acts 15:35 : Acts 12:25
  75. Acts 15:35 : Acts 8:4
  76. Acts 15:35 : Acts 13:12
  77. Acts 15:36 : Acts 13:4, 13, 14, 51; 14:6, 24f
  78. Acts 15:36 : Acts 13:12
  79. Acts 15:37 : Acts 12:12
  80. Acts 15:38 : Acts 13:13
  81. Acts 15:39 : Acts 12:12; 15:37; Col 4:10
  82. Acts 15:39 : Acts 4:36
  83. Acts 15:40 : Acts 15:22
  84. Acts 15:40 : Acts 11:23; 14:26
  85. Acts 15:41 : Matt 4:24; Acts 15:23
  86. Acts 15:41 : Acts 6:9

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Acts 15 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

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