¶ And certain² men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren³, and said, Except⁴ ye be circumcised after⁵ the manner of Moses, ye⁶ cannot be saved.

When therefore Paul⁷ and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined⁸ that Paul and Barnabas, and certain⁹ other of them, should¹⁰ go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles¹¹ and elders about this question.

And being brought¹² on their way by the church, they passed¹³ through Phenice and Samaria, declaring¹⁴ the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused¹⁵ great joy unto all the brethren.

And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received¹⁶ of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all¹⁷ things that God had done with them.

But there rose up certain¹⁸ of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it¹⁹ was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

¶²⁰And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

And when there had been much²¹ disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know²² how that a good while ago God²³ made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my²⁴ mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

And God, which²⁵ knoweth the hearts, bare²⁶ them witness, giving²⁷ them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

And put²⁸ no difference between us and them, purifying²⁹ their hearts by faith.

¶ Now therefore why³⁰ tempt ye God, to put³¹ a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which³² neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

But we believe that³³ through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring³⁴ what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

And after³⁵ they had held their peace, James³⁶ answered, saying, Men³⁷ and brethren, hearken unto me:

Simeon³⁸ hath declared³⁹ how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take⁴⁰ out of them a people for his name.

⁴¹And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

After this⁴² I will return, and will build again the tabernacle⁴³ of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

That the residue⁴⁴ of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles⁴⁵, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who⁴⁶ doeth all these things.

⁴⁷Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

Wherefore my sentence is, that⁴⁸ we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned⁴⁹ to God:

¶ But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions⁵⁰ of idols, and from fornication⁵¹, and from things⁵² strangled, and from blood.

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath⁵³ day.

¶ Then pleased⁵⁴ it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send⁵⁵ chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas⁵⁶, and Silas⁵⁷, chief men among the brethren:

And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles⁵⁹ and elders and brethren send greeting⁶⁰ unto the brethren⁶¹ which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria⁶² and Cilicia:

Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain⁶³ which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must⁶⁴ be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

It seemed⁶⁵ good unto us, being⁶⁶ assembled with one accord, to send⁶⁷ chosen men unto you with our⁶⁸ beloved Barnabas⁶⁹ and Paul,

Men that have hazarded⁷⁰ their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have sent therefore Judas⁷¹ and Silas, who⁷² shall also tell you the same things by mouth⁷³.

For it⁷⁴ seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater⁷⁵ burden than these necessary things;

That ye abstain⁷⁶ from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye⁷⁷ keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare⁷⁸ ye well.

¶ So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and⁷⁹ when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered⁸⁰ the epistle:

Which when they had read, they rejoiced⁸¹ for the consolation⁸².

And Judas and Silas, being⁸³ prophets also themselves, exhorted⁸⁴ the brethren with many words, and confirmed⁸⁵ them.

And after they had tarried there a space, they were⁸⁶ let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.

Notwithstanding it pleased⁸⁷ Silas to abide there still.

Paul also and Barnabas continued⁸⁸ in Antioch, teaching⁸⁹ and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

¶ And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every⁹¹ city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see⁹² how they do.

And Barnabas determined to take with them John⁹³, whose surname was Mark.

But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who⁹⁴ departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

And the contention⁹⁵ was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed⁹⁶ unto Cyprus;

¶ And Paul chose⁹⁷ Silas, and departed, being⁹⁸ recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

And he went through⁹⁹ Syria and Cilicia, confirming¹⁰⁰ the churches.