Yerusalem Agyinatufoɔ
1Ɛberɛ a Paulo ne Barnaba wɔ Antiokia no, nnipa bi firi Yudea bɛkyerɛkyerɛɛ anuanom no sɛ, “Sɛ moamma wɔantwa mo twetia sɛdeɛ Mose amanneɛ no kyerɛ no a, morennya nkwa.” 2Paulo ne Barnaba ne wɔn gyee saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi ho akyinnyeɛ dendeenden. Saa asɛm yi enti, Paulo ne Barnaba ne Antiokia asafo no mu nnipa bi kɔɔ Yerusalem kɔhunuu asomafoɔ no ne mpanimfoɔ faa saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi ho. 3Asafo no gyaa wɔn kwan. Wɔrekɔ no, wɔfaa Foinike ne Samaria kaa amanamanmufoɔ gye a wɔagye asɛm no adi no kyerɛɛ wɔn. Nnipa yi tee saa asɛm yi no, wɔn ani gyee yie. 4Wɔduruu Yerusalem no, asafo no, asomafoɔ no ne mpanimfoɔ a wɔkaa nneɛma a Onyankopɔn nam wɔn so ayɛ kyerɛɛ wɔn no gyee wɔn.
5Nanso, Farisifoɔ a wɔabɛyɛ agyidifoɔ no hyɛɛ sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwa amanamanmufoɔ a wɔagye asɛm no adi no nyinaa twetia na wɔdi Mose mmara no so.
6Asomafoɔ no ne mpanimfoɔ no hyiaeɛ, dwenee asɛm yi ho. 7Wɔdwennwenee ho wieeɛ no, Petro sɔre kasaa sɛ, “Me nuanom, monim sɛ berɛ bi a atwam no, Onyankopɔn yii me firii mo mu sɛ menka asɛmpa no nkyerɛ amanamanmufoɔ, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ na wɔbɛte asɛmpa no na wɔagye adi. 8Sɛdeɛ Onyankopɔn a ɔnim akoma mu no nam Honhom Kronkron a ɔma ɛbaa yɛn mu no so gyee yɛn too mu no, saa ara na ɔnam Honhom Kronkron no ara so agye amanamanmufoɔ nso atom. 9Onyankopɔn anyɛ nyiyimu; ɔnam gyidie so tee wɔn akoma mu. 10Adɛn enti na mopɛ sɛ mode adesoa duruduru a yɛn agyanom antumi ansoa, na yɛn nso antumi ansoa no soa agyidifoɔ no de sɔ Onyankopɔn hwɛ? 11Nanso, yɛgye di sɛ wɔnam Awurade Yesu Kristo adom so na agye yɛn nkwa sɛ wɔn ara.”
12Ɛberɛ a Barnaba ne Paulo kaa anwanwadeɛ a Onyankopɔn nam wɔn so yɛɛ wɔ amanamanmufoɔ no mu maa nnipa a wɔahyia hɔ no teeɛ no, wɔyɛɛ dinn. 13Wɔkasa wieeɛ no, Yakobo kaa sɛ, “Anuanom, montie me! 14Seesei ara na Simon kyerɛɛ mu kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ Onyankopɔn yii amanamanmufoɔ sɛ ne de, de kyerɛɛ dwene a ɔdwene wɔn ho. 15Adiyifoɔ no nsɛm a wɔkaeɛ no ne yei hyia, sɛdeɛ wɔatwerɛ Atwerɛsɛm no mu sɛ:
16“ ‘Yei akyi, mɛsane aba
abɛsi Dawid efie a abubu no.
Mɛma deɛ adwirie no so,
na ma sane masi bio,
17sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, nnipa a wɔaka no,
ne amanamanmufoɔ a me din da wɔn so no bɛhwehwɛ Awurade.’
18Awurade a ɔdaa yei adi ɛberɛ bi a atwam no, ɔno na ɔbɛyɛ yeinom nyinaa.”
19Yakobo toaa so sɛ, “Mʼadwene ne sɛ, ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛha amanamanmufoɔ a wɔde wɔn ho rema Onyankopɔn no. 20Mmom, momma yɛntwerɛ nwoma nkɔka nkyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔdi aduane biara a wɔde ama abosom, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛho nte; afei, wɔntwe wɔn ho mfiri adwamammɔ ho, afei, wɔnnwe aboa a wɔantwa ne mene na ɔwuiɛ; bio, wɔnnni mogya nso. 21Ɛfiri tete, Homeda biara, wɔkenkan saa Mose mmara yi wɔ hyiadan mu, na wɔka ɛho nsɛm nso wɔ kuro biara mu.”
Wɔtwerɛ Krataa Kɔma Amanamanmufoɔ
22Asomafoɔ ne mpanimfoɔ ne asafo no mu nnipa nyinaa hyiaeɛ, yɛɛ adwene sɛ wɔbɛyi nnipa bi afiri kuo no mu aka Paulo ne Barnaba ho na wɔakɔ Antiokia. Wɔyii mmarima atitire baanu a wɔn din de Yuda, a wɔfrɛ no Barsaba ne Silas. 23Nwoma a wɔde ma wɔkɔeɛ no mu nsɛm nie:
Anuanom amanamanmufoɔ a mote Antiokia, Siria ne Kilikia,
Asomafoɔ ne mpanimfoɔ ne anuanom a wɔwɔ Yerusalem no kyea mo.
24Yɛtee sɛ anuanom bi a yɛmmaa wɔn tumi firi yɛn mu nam wɔn nkyerɛkyerɛ so tanee mo ani, haa mo adwene. 25Yei enti, yɛatu nnipa bi sɛ wɔmmra mo nkyɛn. Saa nnipa no ne Paulo ne Barnaba 26a wɔde wɔn nkwa abɔ afɔdeɛ ama Awurade Yesu Kristo no na ɛbɛba. 27Afei, yɛresoma Yuda ne Silas a wɔbɛba abɛka asɛm korɔ no ara a ɛwɔ nwoma yi mu no akyerɛ mo. 28Honhom Kronkron ne yɛn ayɛ adwene sɛ, saa ahyɛdeɛ yi akyi no, yɛremfa adesoa foforɔ bi a emu yɛ duru nnsoa mo; 29monnni aduane a wɔde ama abosom; saa ara nso na monnni mogya. Monnwe aboa a wɔantwa ne mene na ɔwuiɛ. Bio, montwe mo ho mfiri adwamammɔ ho. Sɛ motumi di saa ahyɛdeɛ yi so a, ɛbɛsi mo yie.
Yɛsane kyea mo.
30Wɔgyaa nnipa no kwan maa wɔkɔɔ Antiokia. Wɔduruu hɔ no, wɔhyiaa agyidifoɔ no de nwoma no maa wɔn. 31Agyidifoɔ no kenkanee nwoma no no, emu nkuranhyɛsɛm no maa wɔn ani gyeeɛ. 32Yuda ne Silas a wɔyɛ adiyifoɔ no ne anuanom no kasa kyɛreeɛ, hyɛɛ wɔn nkuran. 33Wɔdii nna kakra wɔ hɔ no, anuanom no gyaa wɔn kwan asomdwoeɛ mu maa wɔsane kɔɔ anuanom a wɔsomaa wɔn no nkyɛn dwoodwoo. 34Nanso, Silas de, wankɔ bi15.34 Tete atwerɛ no binom mmfa nkyekyɛmu 34 nka ho.. 35Paulo ne Barnaba dii nna kakra wɔ Antiokia, boaa anuanom bi maa wɔkyerɛkyerɛeɛ, kaa Awurade asɛm.
Paulo Ne Barnaba Ntam Tete
36Nna bi akyi no, Paulo ka kyerɛɛ Barnaba sɛ, “Ma yɛnsane nkɔsra anuanom a wɔwɔ nkuro a yɛaka Awurade asɛm wɔ so no nyinaa nkɔhwɛ sɛdeɛ wɔrekɔ so wɔ gyidie mu.” 37Barnaba pɛɛ sɛ wɔde Yohane Marko ka wɔn ho kɔ, 38nanso Paulo ampene so, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔwɔ Pamfilia no, ɔgyaa wɔn hɔ a ɔne wɔn antena hɔ ankɔsi awieeɛ. 39Akasakasa a emu yɛ den sii wɔn ntam maa wɔn mu teteeɛ. Barnaba faa Marko ne no kɔɔ Kipro 40na Paulo nso faa Silas. Anuanom no de wɔn hyɛɛ Onyankopɔn adom nsa maa wɔfirii hɔ kɔeɛ. 41Ɔkɔfaa Siria ne Kilikia hyɛɛ asafo no den.
Church Leaders Meet in Jerusalem
1Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch. Here is what they were teaching the believers. “Moses commanded you to be circumcised,” they said. “If you aren’t, you can’t be saved.” 2But Paul and Barnabas didn’t agree with this. They argued strongly with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed to go up to Jerusalem. Some other believers were chosen to go with them. They were told to ask the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria. There they told how the Gentiles had turned to God. This news made all the believers very glad. 4When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church welcomed them. The apostles and elders welcomed them too. Then Paul and Barnabas reported everything God had done through them.
5Some of the believers were Pharisees. They stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised. They must obey the law of Moses.”
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After they had talked it over, Peter got up and spoke to them. “Brothers,” he said, “you know that some time ago God chose me. He appointed me to take the good news to the Gentiles. He wanted them to hear the good news and believe. 8God knows the human heart. By giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, he showed that he accepted them. He did the same for them as he had done for us. 9God showed that there is no difference between us and them. That’s because he made their hearts pure because of their faith. 10Now then, why are you trying to test God? You test him when you put a heavy load on the shoulders of Gentiles. Our people of long ago couldn’t carry that load. We can’t either. 11No! We believe we are saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus. The Gentiles are saved in the same way.”
12Everyone became quiet as they listened to Barnabas and Paul. They were telling about the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14Simon Peter has explained to us what God has now done. He has chosen some of the Gentiles to be among his very own people. 15The prophets’ words agree with that. They say,
16“ ‘After this I will return
and set up again David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild what was destroyed.
I will make it what it used to be.
17Then everyone else can look to the Lord.
This includes all the Gentiles who belong to me, says the Lord.
The Lord is the one who does these things.’ (Amos 9:11,12)
18The Lord does things that have been known from long ago.
19“Now here is my decision. We should not make it hard for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Here is what we should write to them. They must not eat food that has been made impure by being offered to statues of gods. They must not commit sexual sins. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not drink blood. 21These laws of Moses have been preached in every city from the earliest times. They are read out loud in the synagogues every Sabbath day.”
A Letter Is Written to Gentile Believers
22Then the apostles, the elders and the whole church decided what to do. They would choose some of their own men who were leaders among the believers. They would send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. So they chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas. They were leaders among the believers. 23Here is the letter they sent with them.
The apostles and elders, your brothers, are writing this letter.
We are sending it to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.
Greetings.
24We have heard that some of our people came to you and caused trouble. You were upset by what they said. But we had given them no authority to go. 25So we all agreed to send our dear friends Barnabas and Paul to you. We chose some other men to go with them. 26Barnabas and Paul have put their lives in danger. They did it for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27So we are sending Judas and Silas with them. What they say will agree with this letter. 28Here is what seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us. We will not give you a load that is too heavy. So here are a few basic rules. 29Don’t eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. Don’t drink blood. Don’t eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And don’t commit sexual sins. You will do well to keep away from these things.
Farewell.
30So the men were sent down to Antioch. There they gathered the church together. They gave the letter to them. 31The people read it. They were glad for its message of hope. 32Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to give strength and hope to the believers. 33-34Judas and Silas stayed there for some time. Then the believers sent them away with the blessing of peace. They sent them back to those who had sent them out. 35Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch. There they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Do Not Agree
36Some time later Paul spoke to Barnabas. “Let’s go back to all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord,” he said. “Let’s visit the believers and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. 38But Paul didn’t think it was wise to take him. Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia. He hadn’t continued with them in their work. 39Barnabas and Paul strongly disagreed with each other. So they went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas. The believers asked the Lord to give his grace to Paul and Silas as they went. 41Paul traveled through Syria and Cilicia. He gave strength to the churches there.
