The Dispute over Circumcision

1And there came certayne fro Iewry, and taughte the brethren: Excepte ye be circumcysed after the maner of Moses, ye can not be saued. 2Now wha there rose a discesion, and Paul and Barnabas had set them selues harde agaynst them, they ordeyned, that Paul and Barnabas and certayne other of them shulde go vp to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and Elders, aboute this questio. 3And they were broughte on their waye by ye cogregacion, & wente thorow Phenices and Samaria, and declared the conuersacion of the Heythen, and brought greate ioye vnto all the brethren. 4Whan they came to Ierusale, they were receaued of ye cogregacion, & of the Apostles, and of the Elders, & they tolde how greate thinges God had done with the.

The Council at Jerusalem
(Amos 9:11–15; Galatians 2:1–10)

5Then rose there vp certayne of the secte of ye Pharises (which beleued) and sayde: They must be circumcysed and comaunded, to kepe the lawe of Moses.

6But the Apostles and Elders came together, to reason vpon this matter. 7Now whan there was moch disputinge Peter rose vp, and sayde vnto the: Ye men and brethren, ye knowe that a good whyle agoo, God chose amonge vs, yt the Heythe by my mouth shulde heare the worde of the Gospell, and beleue. 8And God the knower of hertes bare wytnesse ouer the, and gaue the the holy goost, like as vnto vs, 9& put no dyfference betwixte vs & them, and purified their hertes thorow fayth. 10Now therfore why tempte ye God, with layenge vpon ye disciples neckes the yocke, which nether or fathers ner we were able to beare? 11But we beleue to be saued thorow the grace of the LORDE Iesu Christ, like as they also.

12Then all ye multitude helde their peace, and gaue audience vnto Paul and Barnabas, which tolde how greate tokens and wonders God had done by the amoge the Heythen.

13Afterwarde whan they helde their peace, Iames answered, and sayde: Ye men and brethren, herke vnto me, 14Simo hath tolde, how God at the first vysited to receaue a people vnto his name from amonge the Heythen. 15And vnto this agree ye wordes of the prophetes, as it is wrytte:

16After this wyl I returne and wyl buylde agayne ye tabernacle of Dauid, that is fallen downe, and that which is fallen in decaye therof, wyl I buylde agayne, and wyl set it vp,

17that the residue of men maye seke after the LORDE: & also the Heythen vpo whom my name is named, sayeth the LORDE, which doth all these thinges.

18Knowne vnto God are all his workes from the begynnynge of ye worlde. 19Wherfore my sentence is, that they which from amonge the Heythen are turned vnto God, be not disquyeted, 20but to wryte vnto them, that they absteyne them selues from fylthynesse of Idols, from whordome, and from strangled, and bloude. 21For Moses hath of olde tyme in euery cite them that preach him: and he is red in the synagoges euery Sabbath daye.

The Letter to the Gentile Believers

22And the Apostles and Elders with the whole congregacion thoughte it good, to chose out men of them, and to sende them vnto Antioche with Paul and Barnabas, namely Iudas, whose syrname was Barsabas, and Sylas (which were chefe men amoge the brethre) 23and gaue the letters in their handes after this maner: We the Apostles and Elders & brethren, wysh health vnto the brethre of the Heythe which are at Antioche, and Syria and Celicia. 24For so moch as we haue herde that certayne of oures are departed, and haue troubled you, and combred youre myndes, sayenge: ye must be circumcysed, and kepe ye lawe (to whom we gaue no soch commaundemet) 25it semed good vnto vs, beynge gathered together with one accorde, to chose out men, and to sende them vnto you, with oure beloued Barnabas and Paul, 26men that haue ioperded their lyues for ye name of oure LORDE Iesus Christ. 27Therfore haue we sent Iudas and Sylas, which shal also tell you the same with wordes. 28For it pleased the holy goost and vs, to laye no charge vpon you, more then these necessary poyntes: 29That ye absteyne from the offeringes of Idols, and from bloude, and from strangled, and from whordome. From the which yf ye absteyne youre selues, ye shal do well. Fare ye well.

The Believers at Antioch Rejoice

30Whan these were sent forth, they came vnto Antioche, and gathered the multitude together, and delyuered the epistle. 31Whan they had red it, they were glad of that cosolacion. 32As for Iudas & Sylas (which were prophetes also) they exorted ye brethre with moch preachinge, and stregthed them. 33And whan they had taried there for a season, they were let go of the brethren in peace vnto the Apostles. 34Notwithstondinge Sylas thoughte it good to byde there styll. 35But Paul and Barnabas cotynued at Antioche, teachinge and preachinge the worde of the LORDE, with other many.

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Begins
(Acts 13:1–3; Acts 18:23–28)

36Neuertheles after certayne dayes Paul sayde vnto Barnabas: let vs go agayne, and vyset oure brethren thorow all the cities (wherin we haue shewed the worde of the LORDE) how they do. 37But Barnabas gaue councell, that they shulde take with the Ihon, whose syrname was Marke. 38Howbeit Paul thoughte it mete, not to take him with them, which departed from them in Pamphilia, and wente not with them vnto the worke. 39And so sharpe was the strife betwene them, that they departed asunder ye one fro the other, and Barnabas toke Marke vnto him, and sayled vnto Cypers.

40But Paul chose Sylas, and departed, beynge comytted of the brethren vnto the grace of God. 41He wente thorow Syria and Celicia, stablishynge the congregacions.