Acts 21:15-25 - Conflict Over The Gentile Mission
15 After these days we packed up our belongings and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us also, bringing with them Mnason from Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to live [while in Jerusalem].
17 And when we came to Jerusalem, the brothers [there] welcomed us gladly. 18 The next day Paul went with us to visit James [the Lord's half-brother and a leader in the Jerusalem church], with all of the elders [of the Jerusalem church] being present. 19 And after greeting them Paul reported one by one the things that God had brought about among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 And when they heard [all] this, they gave honor to God, then said to Paul, "Brother, you can see how many thousands of Jewish believers [in Christ] there are [everywhere] and all of them are eager to observe the [requirements of the] law of Moses. 21 Now these Jewish Christians have been informed that you are teaching all the Jews living among the Gentiles to give up [following the teaching of] Moses, [even] telling them not to circumcise their children and not to practice the [other] customs [of the Jewish religion]. 22 What do you think will happen when they hear that you have come [here to Jerusalem]? 23 So, here is what we would like you to do: We have four men who have made a vow [i.e., a special promise to God]. 24 Take these men and observe the ceremony of purification with them, pay their expenses so they can shave their heads [i.e., to signify that they are making a vow] and [then] everyone will know that there is no truth in what people have been told about you, but that you, too, are living properly and observing the law of Moses. 25 But concerning Gentile believers, we wrote [to them] our decision, that they should avoid [eating] things sacrificed to idols, from [drinking] blood, from [eating] what is strangled and from sexual immorality."