Acts 15:1-21 - The Jerusalem Council

¹ But certain individuals came down from Jerusalem and taught the brothers that "unless you get circumcised after the custom of Moses you cannot be saved." ² As a sharp dispute and controversy sprang up between them and Paul and Barnabas, it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas, along with some others of their number, should go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem about this question. ³ The church sped them on their journey, and they passed through both Phoenicia and Syria informing the brothers, to the great joy of all, that the Gentiles were turning to God.

⁴ On arriving at Jerusalem they were received by the church, the apostles and the presbyters, and they reported how God had been with them and what he had done. ⁵ But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisaic party got up and said, "Gentiles must be circumcised and told to observe the law of Moses."

⁶ The apostles and the presbyters met to investigate this question, ⁷ and a keen controversy sprang up; but Peter rose and said to them, "Brothers, you are well aware that from the earliest days God chose that of you all I should be the one by whom the Gentiles were to hear the word of the gospel and believe it. ⁸ The God who reads the hearts of all attested this by giving them the holy Spirit just as he gave it to us; ⁹ in cleansing their hearts by faith he made not the slightest distinction between us and them. ¹⁰ Well now, why are you trying to impose a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we ourselves could bear? ¹¹ No, it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we believe and are saved, in the same way as they are."

¹² So the whole meeting was quieted and listened to Barnabas and Paul recounting the signs and wonders God had performed by them among the Gentiles. ¹³ When they had finished speaking, James spoke. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me. ¹⁴ Symeon has explained how it was God's original concern to secure a People from among the Gentiles to bear his Name. ¹⁵ This agrees with the words of the prophets; as it is written,

¹⁶ After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent, its ruins I will rebuild and erect it anew, ¹⁷ that the rest of men may seek for the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, saith the Lord, ¹⁸ who makes this known from of old.

¹⁹ Hence, in my opinion, we ought not to put fresh difficulties in the way of those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, ²⁰ but write them injunctions to abstain from whatever is contaminated by idols, from sexual vice, from the flesh of animals that have been strangled, and from tasting blood; ²¹ for Moses has had his preachers from the earliest ages in every town, where he is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath."