Acts 15
Open in the reader1Then some men came down from Land-of-the-Praised and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Drawn-Out, you cannot be saved.”
2And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Son-of-Encouragement were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Foundation-of-Peace to see the emissaries and elders about this question.
3Sent on their way by the assembly, they passed through Palm-Land and Watch-Mountain, recounting the conversion of the Nations and bringing great joy to all the brothers.
4On their arrival in Foundation-of-Peace, they were welcomed by the assembly and emissaries and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
5But some believers from the party of the Separated-Ones stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the teaching of Drawn-Out.”
6So the emissaries and elders met to look into this matter.
7After much discussion, Stone got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Nations would hear from my lips the message of the good news and believe.
8And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Devoted Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
9He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
10Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the apprentices a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
11On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord He-Who-Is-Saves that we are saved, just as they are.”
12The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Son-of-Encouragement and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Nations through them.
13When they had finished speaking, Heel-Grabber declared, “Brothers, listen to me!
14Heard has told us how God first visited the Nations to take from them a people to be His own.
15The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of Beloved. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
17so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Nations who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things
18that have been known for ages.’
19It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Nations who are turning to God.
20Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
21For Drawn-Out has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Rest.”
22Then the emissaries and elders, with the whole assembly, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Son-of-Encouragement. They chose Judas called Son-of-the-Sabbath and Asked-For, two leaders among the brothers,
23and sent them with this letter: The emissaries and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Nations in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
25So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Son-of-Encouragement and Paul,
26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord He-Who-Is-Saves The-Anointed-One.
27Therefore we are sending Praised and Asked-For to tell you in person the same things we are writing.
28It seemed good to the Devoted Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:
29You must 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.
30So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.
31When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.
32Praised and Asked-For, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
33After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers in peace to return to those who had sent them.
35But Paul and Son-of-Encouragement remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
36Some time later Paul said to Son-of-Encouragement, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
37Son-of-Encouragement wanted to take He-Who-Is-Has-Shown-Favor, also called Mark.
38But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in All-Tribes and had not accompanied them in the work.
39Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Son-of-Encouragement took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
40but Paul chose Asked-For and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
41And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.