Study Desk

^(a)Some men came down from Judea and began teaching ^(b)the brethren, "Unless you are ^(c)circumcised according to ^(d)the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

And when Paul and Barnabas had ^[a]great dissension and ^(e)debate with them, ^(f)the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the ^(g)apostles and elders concerning this issue.

Therefore, being ^(h)sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both ⁽ⁱ⁾Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(j)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all ^(k)the brethren.

When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and ^(l)the apostles and the elders, and they ^(m)reported all that God had done with them.

But some of ⁽ⁿ⁾the sect of the ^(o)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, "It is necessary to ^(p)circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses."

^(q)The apostles and the elders came together to ^[b]look into this ^[c]matter.

After there had been much ^(r)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that ^[d]in the early days ^(s)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of ^(t)the gospel and believe.

And God, ^(u)who knows the heart, testified to them ^(v)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

and ^(w)He made no distinction between us and them, ^(x)cleansing their hearts by faith.

Now therefore why do you ^(y)put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which ^(z)neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

But we believe that we are saved through ^(aa)the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."

All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were ^(ab)relating what ^(ac)signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

After they had stopped speaking, ^[e](ad)James answered, saying, "Brethren, listen to me.

^(ae)Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.

With this the words of ^(af)the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

‘^(ag) After these things ^(ah)I will return, And I will rebuild the ^[f] tabernacle of David which has fallen , And I will rebuild its ruins , And I will restore it ,

^(ai) So that the rest of ^[g] mankind may seek the Lord , And all the Gentiles ^[h](aj) who are called by My name ,'

^(ak) Says the Lord, who ^[i](al) makes these things known from long ago .

Therefore it is ^(am)my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

but that we write to them that they abstain from ^[j](an)things contaminated by idols and from ^(ao)fornication and from ^(ap)what is strangled and from blood.

For ^(aq)Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since ^[k]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath."

Then it seemed good to ^(ar)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to ^(as)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and ^(at)Silas, leading men among ^(au)the brethren,

and they ^[l]sent this letter by them, "^(av)The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to ^(aw)the brethren in ^(ax)Antioch and ^(ay)Syria and ^(az)Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, ^(ba)greetings.

"Since we have heard that ^(bb)some ^[m]of our number to whom we gave no instruction have ^(bc)disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,

^(bd)it seemed good to us, having ^[n]become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

men who have ^[o](be)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Therefore we have sent ^(bf)Judas and ^(bg)Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

"For ^(bh)it seemed good to ^(bi)the Holy Spirit and to ^(bj)us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

that you abstain from ^(bk)things sacrificed to idols and from ^(bl)blood and from ^(bm)things strangled and from ^(bn)fornication; ^[p]if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."

So when they were sent away, ^(bo)they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the ^[q]congregation together, they delivered the letter.

When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its ^[r]encouragement.

^(bp)Judas and ^(bq)Silas, also being ^(br)prophets themselves, ^[s]encouraged and strengthened ^(bs)the brethren with a lengthy message.

After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren ^(bt)in peace to those who had ^(bu)sent them out.