CHAPTER 15
1 And some men came down from Judea, and taught (the) brethren, That but ye be circumcised after the law of Moses, ye may not be made safe, [or ye may not be saved], (or ye cannot be saved).
2 Therefore when there was made not a little dissension to Paul and Barnabas against them, they ordained, that Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, should go up to the apostles and (the) priests in Jerusalem, on this question.
3 And so they were led forth of the church, and passed by Phenice and Samaria; and they told the conversation [or the living] of heathen men, and they made great joy to all the brethren. (And so they were led forth from the church, and went through Phoenicia and Samaria; and they told them the news of the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brothers.)
4 And when they came to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles, and of the elder men, (or they were received by the church, and by the apostles, and by the elders), and told, how great things (that) God did with them [or how many things (that) God did with them].
5 But some of the heresy of the Pharisees, that believed, rose up, and said, That it behooveth them to be circumcised, and to command to keep also the law of Moses.
6 And the apostles and elder men came together, to see of this word.
7 And when there was made a great seeking thereof, Peter rose, and said to them, Brethren, ye know, that of old days in you, God chose by my mouth heathen men, to hear the word of the gospel, and to believe, (or Brothers, ye know, that in the old days, or in our early days, God chose that the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel or the Good News, from my mouth, and believe it);
8 and God, that knew the hearts, bare witnessing, and gave to them the Holy Ghost, as also to us; (and God, who knew their hearts, testified, and gave them the Holy Spirit, as he also gave to us;)
9 and nothing diversed betwixt us and them, cleansing the hearts of them by faith.
10 Now then what tempt ye God (or Then why now do ye test God), to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither we, neither our fathers might bear?
11 But by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we believe to be saved, as also they. (For we believe it is by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we be saved, as they also be.)
12 And all the multitude held (their) peace, and heard Barnabas and Paul, telling how great signs and wonders, [or how many signs and wonders], (that) God did by them in (the) heathen men. (And all the multitude held their peace, and listened to Barnabas and Paul, telling how many miracles and wonders that God did by them among the Gentiles.)
13 And after that they held (their) peace, James answered, and said, Brethren, hear ye me.
14 Simon told, how God visited, first to take (out) of heathen men, a people to his name. [Simon told, how first God visited, to take (out) of (or from among) (the) heathen men a people to his name.](Simon told, how God first visited, to take, or to choose, from among the Gentiles, a people to his name.)
15 And the words of (the) prophets accord to him, as it is written,
16 After this I shall turn again (or After this I shall return), and build the tabernacle of David, that fell down; and I shall build again the cast-down things of it, and I shall raise it (up);
17 that other men seek the Lord, and all folks, on whom my name is called to help, [or in-called], (or so that other men seek the Lord, yea, all the peoples and nations, who call on my name for help); the Lord doing this thing, saith.
18 From the (beginning of the) world, the work of the Lord is known to the Lord. (From long ago, or from the creation of the world, the Lord’s work was made known.)
19 For which thing I deem them that of (the) heathen men be converted to God, to be not dis-eased [or unquieted],
20 but to write to them, that they abstain them from (the) defoulings of maumets [or of simulacra], and from fornication, and strangled things, and blood. (but to write to them, that they abstain themselves from the defilements of idols, that is, from food offered to idols, and from fornication, and from strangled things, and from blood.)
21 For Moses of (or from the) old times hath in all (the) cities them that preach him in (the) synagogues, whereby each sabbath he is read.
22 Then it pleased to the apostles, and to the elder men (or to the elders), with all the church, to choose (some) men of them, and send (them) to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, Judas, that was named Barsabas, and Silas, the first men among (the) brethren;
23 and wrote by the hands of them, Apostles and elder brethren to them that be at Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia, brethren of heathen men (or to the Gentile brothers), greeting(s).
24 For we heard that some went out from us, and troubled you with words, and turned upside-down your souls, to which men we commanded not,
25 it pleased to us gathered into one, to choose men, and send (them) to you, with our most dearworthy Barnabas and Paul,
26 men that gave their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Therefore we sent Judas and Silas, and they shall tell the same things to you by words.
28 For it is seen to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to put to you nothing more of charge, than these needful things, (For it is seen by the Holy Spirit, and by us, to put no other burden upon you, other than these necessary things,)
29 that ye abstain you from the offered things of maumets [or of simulacra], and blood strangled, and fornication, (or that ye abstain yourselves from the food offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled things, and from fornication). From which ye keeping you(rselves), shall do well. Fare ye well.
30 Therefore they were let go [or dismissed], and came down to Antioch; and when the multitude was gathered, they (be)took the epistle (or they delivered the letter);
31 which when they had read (it), they joyed on the comfort. (and when they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement that it gave to them.)
32 And Judas and Silas and they, for they were prophets, comforted (or strengthened)(the) brothers, and confirmed [them] with full many words.
33 But after that they had been there a little while, they were let go of (the) brethren with peace, (or they were sent forth by the brothers with peace), [or they were dismissed with peace of (or from)(the) brethren], (back) to them that had sent them.
34 But it was seen to Silas, to dwell there; and Judas went alone to Jerusalem.
35 And Paul and Barnabas dwelt at Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with others many [or with many others].
36 But after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, Turn we again, and visit we [our] brethren by all (the) cities, in which we have preached the word of the Lord, how they have them. (But after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return, and visit our brothers in all the cities, in which we have preached the word of the Lord, to learn how they be doing.)
37 And Barnabas would take with him John, that was named Mark (or who was called Mark).
38 But Paul prayed him, that he that departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them into the work, should not be received. (But Paul beseeched him, saying that he who had left them at Pamphylia, and did not go with them in the work, should not be taken with them now.)
39 And dissension was made, so that they departed atwain. And Barnabas took Mark, and came by boat to Cyprus.
40 And Paul chose Silas, and went forth from the brethren, and was betaken to the grace of God (or and was delivered unto God’s grace).
41 And he went by Syria and Cilicia, and confirmed the church, commanding to keep the behests [or the precepts] of the apostles and (the) elder men.