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.
耶路撒冷會議
1有幾個從猶太下來的人教導弟兄們說：「你們若不照著摩西的規條接受割禮，就不能得救。」 2保羅和巴拿巴為這件事與他們激烈地辯論，最後大家決定派保羅、巴拿巴和幾個當地的信徒上耶路撒冷去跟使徒和長老討論這件事。
3於是教會為他們送行。他們經過腓尼基和撒瑪利亞，沿途詳述外族人悔改信主的消息，使弟兄姊妹大為歡喜。 4他們到了耶路撒冷，受到教會、使徒和長老的接待，並報告了上帝藉他們所做的一切事。 5有幾個信了主的法利賽人站起來說：「外族的信徒必須接受割禮，而且還要遵守摩西的律法。」
6使徒和長老們聚集商議這個問題。 7經過許多辯論之後，彼得站起來對大家說：「弟兄們，你們都知道，上帝早已在你們當中揀選我去向外族人傳道，讓他們也可以聽到福音並信主。 8洞悉人心的上帝把聖靈賜給他們，正如賜給我們一樣，以表明祂也接納外族人。 9上帝對他們和我們一視同仁，祂藉著他們的信心潔淨了他們的心靈。 10現在你們為什麼要試探上帝，把我們祖先和我們不能負的軛強加在這些門徒肩上？ 11我們相信，他們和我們一樣都是靠主耶穌的恩典得救。」
12眾人都沉默不語，繼續聽巴拿巴和保羅訴說上帝藉著他們在外族人中所行的神蹟奇事。 13他們報告完了，雅各站起來說：「弟兄們，請聽我說。 14剛才西門講述了上帝當初如何眷顧外族人，從他們當中揀選人歸在祂的名下。 15這完全與眾先知的話相符，正如聖經上說，
16「『此後，我要回來重建已傾覆的大衛家，
從廢墟中重建它、恢復它，
17好叫其餘的百姓，
就是凡歸在我名下的外族人都尋求主。』15·17 阿摩司書9·11、12。
這是主說的， 18祂從亙古就顯明了這事。
19「所以，我認為不應該為難那些信上帝的外族人。 20我們只需寫信吩咐他們遠避被偶像玷污之物，不可淫亂，不可吃勒死的牲畜和血。 21因為自古以來，在各城都有人宣講摩西的律法，每逢安息日，都有人在會堂裡誦讀。」
給外族信徒的信
22最後，使徒、長老和全教會都決定從他們當中選派代表，隨保羅和巴拿巴去安提阿。他們選了別號巴撒巴的猶大和西拉，這兩位都是教會的領袖。 23他們帶去的書信這樣說：「安提阿、敘利亞和基利迦的外族弟兄姊妹，你們的弟兄——眾使徒和長老向你們問安！
24「聽說有幾個人從我們這裡去了你們那裡，15·24 有古卷此處有「教導你們必須接受割禮並遵守摩西的律法。」他們的教導使你們困惑不安。其實我們從來沒有授權他們這樣做。 25所以我們一致決定選派代表，隨我們敬愛的巴拿巴和保羅去你們那裡。 26他們二人為我們主耶穌基督的名已將生死置之度外。 27我們差派猶大和西拉去向你們報告我們的決定。 28因為聖靈和我們都認為不應把額外的重擔加在你們身上。但請務必注意以下幾件事： 29要遠避祭拜偶像的事，不可吃血，不可吃勒死的牲畜，不可淫亂。你們一一遵守這些事才好。祝平安！」
30他們奉命下到安提阿，召集眾人，交付書信。 31眾人讀過這封信之後，都因信中勸勉的話而歡喜。 32猶大和西拉也是先知，他們講了許多勉勵、堅立弟兄姊妹的話。 33住了些日子後，安提阿的弟兄姊妹以平安的祝福為他們送行，讓他們回耶路撒冷覆命。 34但西拉決定留在那裡。15·34 有古卷無34節。 35保羅和巴拿巴則繼續留在安提阿，與許多人一起教導、傳揚主的道。
保羅與巴拿巴分手
36過了一些日子，保羅對巴拿巴說：「我們回到曾傳過福音的各城鎮去探望弟兄姊妹吧，好知道他們的情況。」 37巴拿巴想要帶約翰·馬可同去， 38但保羅堅持不帶他同行，因為他在旁非利亞離開過他們，沒有和他們一起做工。
39二人起了激烈的爭執，以致分道揚鑣。巴拿巴帶著約翰·馬可一同乘船去塞浦路斯。 40保羅則選了西拉同行，弟兄姊妹把他們交託在主的恩典中。 41保羅走遍了敘利亞和基利迦，堅固當地的教會。
