| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 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." | 1Now some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." |
| 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. | 2When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debate with them, the church appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet with the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this point of disagreement. |
| 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. | 3So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they were relating at length the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers. |
| 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. | 4When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all the things God had done with them. |
| 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." | 5But some from the religious party of the Pharisees who had believed stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise the Gentiles and to order them to observe the law of Moses." |
| 6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. | 6Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate about this matter. |
| 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. | 7After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God chose me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message of the gospel and believe. |
| 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. | 8And God, who knows the heart, has testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, |
| 9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. | 9and he made no distinction between them and us, cleansing their hearts by faith. |
| 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? | 10So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? |
| 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." | 11On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are." |
| 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. | 12The whole group kept quiet and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. |
| 13When they finished, James spoke up. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me. | 13After they stopped speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. |
| 14Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. | 14Simeon has explained how God first concerned himself to select from among the Gentiles a people for his name. |
| 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: | 15The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written, |
| 16"'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, | 16After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, |
| 17that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' -- | 17so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, namely, all the Gentiles I have called to be my own,' says the Lord, who makes these things |
| 18things known from long ago. | 18known from long ago. |
| 19"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. | 19"Therefore I conclude that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God, |
| 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. | 20but that we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things defiled by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood. |
| 21For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath." | 21For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, because he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath." |
| 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. | 22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, leaders among the brothers, to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. |
| 23With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. | 23They sent this letter with them: From the apostles and elders, your brothers, to the Gentile brothers and sisters in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, greetings! |
| 24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. | 24Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused you, upsetting your minds by what they said, |
| 25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul-- | 25we have unanimously decided to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, |
| 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. | 26who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. | 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas who will tell you these things themselves in person. |
| 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: | 28For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: |
| 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. | 29that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what has been strangled and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from doing these things, you will do well. Farewell. |
| 30So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. | 30So when they were dismissed, they went down to Antioch, and after gathering the entire group together, they delivered the letter. |
| 31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. | 31When they read it aloud, the people rejoiced at its encouragement. |
| 32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. | 32Both Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long speech. |
| 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. | 33After they had spent some time there, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. |
| 35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord. | 35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming (along with many others) the word of the Lord. |
| 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." | 36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord to see how they are doing." |
| 37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, | 37Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too, |
| 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. | 38but Paul insisted that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. |
| 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, | 39They had a sharp disagreement, so that they parted company. Barnabas took along Mark and sailed away to Cyprus, |
| 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. | 40but Paul chose Silas and set out, commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers and sisters. |
| 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. | 41He passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. |
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