Acts 15 · Clearspring

The Dispute over Circumcision

¹And certain men came down from Judæa and taught the brethren, [saying], Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.+ ²And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, [the brethren] appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.+ ³They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.+ ⁴And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them.+

The Council at Jerusalem

Amos 9:11–15; Galatians 2:1–10

⁵But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.+ ⁶And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.+ ⁷And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.+ ⁸And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;+ ⁹and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.+ ¹⁰Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?+ ¹¹But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.+ ¹²And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.+ ¹³And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me:+ ¹⁴Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.+ ¹⁵And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,+ ¹⁶After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up:+ ¹⁷That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,+ ¹⁸Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.+ ¹⁹Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God;+ ²⁰but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.+ ²¹For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.+

The Letter to the Gentile Believers

²²Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; [namely], Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:+ ²³and they wrote [thus] by them, The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:+ ²⁴Forasmuch as we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment;+ ²⁵it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,+ ²⁶men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.+ ²⁷We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.+ ²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:+ ²⁹that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.+

The Believers at Antioch Rejoice

³⁰So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.+ ³¹And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.+ ³²And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.+ ³³And after they had spent some time [there], they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth.+ ³⁵But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.+

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Begins

Acts 13:1–3; Acts 18:23–28

³⁶And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [and see] how they fare.+ ³⁷And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark.+ ³⁸But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.+ ³⁹And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus:+ ⁴⁰but Paul chose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.+ ⁴¹And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.+

The Dispute over Circumcision

The Council at Jerusalem

The Letter to the Gentile Believers

The Believers at Antioch Rejoice

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Begins

Study Acts 15