Acts 15:1-21 - The Jerusalem Council

¹ And some, coming down from Judaea, were teaching the brethren, "Unless ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved." ² And, when Paul and Barnabas had no little dissension and discussion with them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders, concerning this question. ³ They, therefore, having been sent forward by the assembly, went through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the gentiles; and they were causing great joy to all the brethren.

⁴ And, having come to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the assembly and apostles and elders; and they rehearsed as many things as God wrought with them. ⁵ But there rose up some from the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses."

⁶ And the apostles and the elders were assembled together to see about this matter. ⁷ And, much discussion having arisen, Peter, standing up, said to them, "Brethren, ye well know that, from early days, God made choice among you, that through my mouth the gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. ⁸ And the heart-knowing God bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as to us: ⁹ and He made no distinction between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, why do ye tempt God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were strong enough to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner as also they."

¹² And all the multitude kept silence: and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul, recounting what signs and wonders God wrought among the gentiles through them. ¹³ And, after they were silent, James answered, saying, "Brethren, hear me. ¹⁴ Simeon declared how God first visited the gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name. ¹⁵ And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it has been written,

¹⁶ 'After these things I will return; and I will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; and the ruins thereof will I build again; and I will set it up; ¹⁷ that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, even all the gentiles upon whom My name has been called,' ¹⁸ saith the Lord, Who maketh these things known from of old.

¹⁹ Wherefore, I judge that we should not trouble those who from among the gentiles are turning to God; ²⁰ but that we write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from anything strangled, and from blood; ²¹ for Moses, from ancient generations, has in every city those preaching him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath."