Acts.15.1

It wasn't long before some Jews showed up from Judea insisting that everyone be circumcised: "If you're not circumcised in the Mosaic fashion, you can't be saved."

Acts.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."

Acts.15.1

And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

Acts.15.1

While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the Christians: "Unless you keep the ancient Jewish custom of circumcision taught by Moses, you cannot be saved."

Acts.15.2

Paul and Barnabas were up on their feet at once in fierce protest. The church decided to resolve the matter by sending Paul, Barnabas, and a few others to put it before the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem.

Acts.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.

Acts.15.2

Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

Acts.15.2

Paul and Barnabas, disagreeing with them, argued forcefully and at length. Finally, Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.

Acts.15.3

After they were sent off and on their way, they told everyone they met as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria about the breakthrough to the Gentile outsiders. Everyone who heard the news cheered--it was terrific news!

Acts.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.

Acts.15.3

So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.

Acts.15.3

The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them--much to everyone's joy--that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.

Acts.15.4

When they got to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas were graciously received by the whole church, including the apostles and leaders. They reported on their recent journey and how God had used them to open things up to the outsiders.

Acts.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.

Acts.15.4

And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.

Acts.15.4

When they arrived in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported on what God had been doing through their ministry.

Acts.15.5

Some Pharisees stood up to say their piece. They had become believers, but continued to hold to the hard party line of the Pharisees. "You have to circumcise the pagan converts," they said. "You must make them keep the Law of Moses."

Acts.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."

Acts.15.5

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."

Acts.15.5

But then some of the men who had been Pharisees before their conversion stood up and declared that all Gentile converts must be circumcised and be required to follow the law of Moses.

Acts.15.6

The apostles and leaders called a special meeting to consider the matter.

Acts.15.6

The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

Acts.15.6

Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

Acts.15.6

So the apostles and church elders got together to decide this question.

Acts.15.7

The arguments went on and on, back and forth, getting more and more heated. Then Peter took the floor: "Friends, you well know that from early on God made it quite plain that he wanted the pagans to hear the Message of this good news and embrace it--and not in any secondhand or roundabout way, but firsthand, straight from my mouth.

Acts.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.

Acts.15.7

And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.

Acts.15.7

At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: "Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe.

Acts.15.8

And God, who can't be fooled by any pretense on our part but always knows a person's thoughts, gave them the Holy Spirit exactly as he gave him to us.

Acts.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.

Acts.15.8

So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,

Acts.15.8

God, who knows people's hearts, confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he gave him to us.

Acts.15.9

He treated the outsiders exactly as he treated us, beginning at the very center of who they were and working from that center outward, cleaning up their lives as they trusted and believed him.

Acts.15.9

He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Acts.15.9

and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Acts.15.9

He made no distinction between us and them, for he also cleansed their hearts through faith.

Acts.15.10

"So why are you now trying to out-god God, loading these new believers down with rules that crushed our ancestors and crushed us, too?

Acts.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?

Acts.15.10

Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Acts.15.10

Why are you now questioning God's way by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?

Acts.15.11

Don't we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?"

Acts.15.11

No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Acts.15.11

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."

Acts.15.11

We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the special favor of the Lord Jesus."

Acts.15.12

There was dead silence. No one said a word. With the room quiet, Barnabas and Paul reported matter-of-factly on the miracles and wonders God had done among the other nations through their ministry.

Acts.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.

Acts.15.12

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.

Acts.15.12

There was no further discussion, and everyone listened as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

Acts.15.13

The silence deepened; you could hear a pin drop. James broke the silence. "Friends, listen.

Acts.15.13

When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me.

Acts.15.13

And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, "Men and brethren, listen to me:

Acts.15.13

When they had finished, James stood and said, "Brothers, listen to me.

Acts.15.14

Simeon has told us the story of how God at the very outset made sure that racial outsiders were included.

Acts.15.14

Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.

Acts.15.14

Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.

Acts.15.14

Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.

Acts.15.15

This is in perfect agreement with the words of the prophets:

Acts.15.15

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

Acts.15.15

And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:

Acts.15.15

And this conversion of Gentiles agrees with what the prophets predicted. For instance, it is written:

Acts.15.16

After this, I'm coming back; I'll rebuild David's ruined house; I'll put all the pieces together again; I'll make it look like new

Acts.15.16

"'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,

Acts.15.16

'After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;

Acts.15.16

'Afterward I will return, and I will restore the fallen kingdom of David. From the ruins I will rebuild it, and I will restore it,

Acts.15.17

So outsiders who seek will find, so they'll have a place to come to, All the pagan peoples included in what I'm doing. "God said it and now he's doing it.

Acts.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'

Acts.15.17

So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD. Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things.'

Acts.15.17

so that the rest of humanity might find the Lord, including the Gentiles--all those I have called to be mine. This is what the Lord says,

Acts.15.18

It's no afterthought; he's always known he would do this.

Acts.15.18

that have been known for ages.

Acts.15.18

"Known to God from eternity are all His works.

Acts.15.18

he who made these things known long ago.'

Acts.15.19

"So here is my decision: We're not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master.

Acts.15.19

"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

Acts.15.19

Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,

Acts.15.19

And so my judgment is that we should stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God,

Acts.15.20

We'll write them a letter and tell them, "Be careful to not get involved in activities connected with idols, to guard the morality of sex and marriage, to not serve food offensive to Jewish Christians--blood, for instance.'

Acts.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.

Acts.15.20

but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.

Acts.15.20

except that we should write to them and tell them to abstain from eating meat sacrificed to idols, from sexual immorality, and from consuming blood or eating the meat of strangled animals.

Acts.15.21

This is basic wisdom from Moses, preached and honored for centuries now in city after city as we have met and kept the Sabbath."

Acts.15.21

For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."

Acts.15.21

For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."

Acts.15.21

For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations."