耶路撒冷会议
1有几个从犹太下来的人教导弟兄们说:“你们若不照着摩西的规条接受割礼,就不能得救。” 2保罗和巴拿巴为这件事与他们激烈地辩论,最后大家决定派保罗、巴拿巴和几个当地的信徒上耶路撒冷去跟使徒和长老讨论这件事。
3于是教会为他们送行。他们经过腓尼基和撒玛利亚,沿途报告外族人悔改信主的消息,弟兄姊妹都大受鼓舞。 4他们到了耶路撒冷,受到教会、使徒和长老的接待,并详述了上帝借他们所做的一切事。 5有几个信了主的法利赛人站起来说:“外族的信徒必须接受割礼,而且还要遵守摩西的律法。”
6使徒和长老们聚集商议这个问题。 7经过许多辩论之后,彼得站起来对大家说:“弟兄们,你们都知道,上帝早已在你们当中拣选我去向外族人传道,让他们也可以听到福音并信主。 8洞悉人心的上帝把圣灵赐给他们,正如赐给我们一样,以表明祂也接纳外族人。 9上帝对他们和我们一视同仁,祂因他们的信心而洁净了他们的心灵。 10现在你们为什么要试探上帝,把我们祖先和我们不能负的重担强加在这些门徒身上? 11我们相信,他们和我们一样都是靠主耶稣的恩典得救。”
12众人都沉默不语,继续听巴拿巴和保罗叙述上帝借着他们在外族人中所行的神迹奇事。 13他们报告完了,雅各站起来说:“弟兄们,请听我说。 14刚才西门讲述了上帝当初如何眷顾外族人,从他们当中拣选人归在祂的名下。 15这完全与众先知的话相符,正如圣经上说,
16“‘此后,我要回来重建已倾覆的大卫王朝,
将它从废墟中重建、恢复,
17好叫其余的百姓,
就是凡归在我名下的外族人都寻求主。’
这是上帝说的, 18祂从亘古就显明了这事。
19“所以,我认为不应该为难那些信上帝的外族人。 20我们只须写信吩咐他们远避被偶像玷污之物,不可淫乱,不可吃血和勒死的牲畜。 21因为自古以来,在各城都有人宣讲摩西的律法,每逢安息日,都有人在会堂里诵读。”
给外族信徒的信
22最后,使徒、长老和全教会都决定从他们当中选派代表,随保罗和巴拿巴去安提阿。他们选了别号巴撒巴的犹大和西拉,这两位都是教会的领袖。 23他们带去的书信这样说:“安提阿、叙利亚和基利迦的外族弟兄姊妹,你们的弟兄——众使徒和长老向你们问安!
24“听说有几个人从我们这里去了你们那里,教导你们必须接受割礼并遵守摩西的律法15:24 有古卷无“教导你们必须接受割礼并遵守摩西的律法。”。他们的言论使你们大感困惑。其实我们从来没有授权他们这样做。 25所以我们一致决定选派代表,随我们敬爱的巴拿巴和保罗去你们那里。 26他们二人为我们主耶稣基督的缘故已将生死置之度外。 27我们选派犹大和西拉两位代表跟他们一起去,向你们报告我们的决定。 28因为圣灵和我们都认为不应把重担加在你们身上。但请务必注意以下几件事, 29要远避祭拜偶像的事,不可吃血,不可吃勒死的牲畜,不可淫乱。你们一一遵守这些事就好了。祝平安!”
30他们奉命下到安提阿,召集众人,交付书信。 31众人读过这封信之后,都因信中劝勉的话而欢喜。 32犹大和西拉也是先知,他们讲了许多勉励、坚立弟兄姊妹的话。 33住了些日子后,安提阿的弟兄姊妹以平安的祝福为他们送行,让他们回耶路撒冷复命。 34但西拉决定留在那里。15:34 有古卷无“但西拉决定留在那里”。 35保罗和巴拿巴则继续留在安提阿,与许多人一起教导、传扬上帝的道。
保罗与巴拿巴分手
36过了一些日子,保罗对巴拿巴说:“我们回到曾传过福音的各城镇去探望弟兄姊妹吧,好知道他们的情况。” 37巴拿巴想要带约翰·马可同去, 38但保罗坚持不带他同行,因为他在旁非利亚离开了他们,没有和他们一起做工。
39二人激烈地争执起来,僵持不下,只好分道扬镳。巴拿巴和约翰·马可一同乘船去塞浦路斯。 40保罗则选了西拉同行,弟兄姊妹把他们交托在主的恩典中。 41保罗走遍了叙利亚和基利迦,巩固当地的各教会。
1And certain men which came down from Judæa taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice 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 of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 5But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6¶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
12¶ Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13¶ And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit 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 this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. 22Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: 24Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men 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 shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. 30So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 31Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. 33And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still. 35Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36¶ And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. 37And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. 39And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; 40And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.