Acts 15 – NIV & CCB

New International Version

Acts 15:1-41

The Council at Jerusalem

1Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”

6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14Simon15:14 Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

16“ ‘After this I will return

and rebuild David’s fallen tent.

Its ruins I will rebuild,

and I will restore it,

17that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,

even all the Gentiles who bear my name,

says the Lord, who does these things’15:17 Amos 9:11,12 (see Septuagint)

18things known from long ago.15:17,18 Some manuscripts things’— / 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago

19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:

Greetings.

24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29You are to 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 gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. 3415:34 Some manuscripts include here But Silas decided to remain there. 35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

使徒行传 15:1-41

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,随保罗巴拿巴安提阿。他们选了别号巴撒巴犹大西拉,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保罗走遍了叙利亚基利迦,巩固当地的各教会。