Chapter 15
The Dispute over Circumcision
1
Then some men came down from Judea [and] were teaching the brothers -, “Unless… you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, vvv you cannot be saved.
Καί τινες κατελθόντες ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐδίδασκον τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὅτι Ἐὰν μὴ περιτμηθῆτε τῷ ἔθει τῷ Μωϋσέως οὐ δύνασθε σωθῆναι Kai tines katelthontes apo tēs Ioudaias edidaskon tous adelphous hoti Ean mē peritmēthēte tō ethei tō Mōuseōs ou dynasthe sōthēnai — NA/TR · 1
2
And after… engaging - - vvv [these men] vvv in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other [ believers ]…, to go up to Jerusalem to [see] the apostles and elders about this question.
γενομένης δὲ στάσεως τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Βαρνάβᾳ πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ οὐκ ὀλίγης ζητήσεως Παῦλον καὶ Βαρνάβαν ἔταξαν καί τινας ἄλλους ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀναβαίνειν εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ πρεσβυτέρους περὶ τούτου τοῦ ζητήματος genomenēs de staseōs tō Paulō kai tō Barnaba pros autous kai ouk oligēs zētēseōs Paulon kai Barnaban etaxan kai tinas allous ex autōn anabainein eis Ierousalēm pros tous apostolous kai presbyterous peri toutou tou zētēmatos — NA/TR · 2
3
Sent on their way - by the church, they passed through - Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.
προπεμφθέντες οὖν μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας Οἱ διήρχοντο τε τήν Φοινίκην καὶ Σαμάρειαν ἐκδιηγούμενοι τὴν ἐπιστροφὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ἐποίουν μεγάλην χαρὰν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς propemphthentes oun men hypo tēs ekklēsias Hoi diērchonto te tēn Phoinikēn kai Samareian ekdiēgoumenoi tēn epistrophēn tōn ethnōn kai epoioun megalēn charan pasin tois adelphois — NA/TR · 3
4
[On] their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, [to whom] they reported all that God had done through them.
δὲ παραγενόμενοι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα παρεδέχθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τε ἀνήγγειλάν ὅσα ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησεν μετ’ αὐτῶν de paragenomenoi eis Hierosolyma paredechthēsan apo tēs ekklēsias kai tōn apostolōn kai tōn presbyterōn te anēngeilan hosa ho Theos epoiēsen met’ autōn — NA/TR · 4
The Council at Jerusalem
5
But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up [and] declared -, “[The Gentiles] must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.
δέ τινες τῶν πεπιστευκότες ἀπὸ τῆς αἱρέσεως τῶν Φαρισαίων Ἐξανέστησαν λέγοντες ὅτι αὐτοὺς Δεῖ περιτέμνειν τε παραγγέλλειν τηρεῖν τὸν νόμον Μωϋσέως de tines tōn pepisteukotes apo tēs haireseōs tōn Pharisaiōn Exanestēsan legontes hoti autous Dei peritemnein te parangellein tērein ton nomon Mōuseōs — NA/TR · 5
6
[So] the apostles and elders met to look into… this matter.
τε οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Συνήχθησάν ἰδεῖν περὶ τούτου τοῦ λόγου te hoi apostoloi kai hoi presbyteroi Synēchthēsan idein peri toutou tou logou — NA/TR · 6
7
- After much discussion, Peter got up [and] said to them, vvv “Brothers, you know that in [the] early days God made a choice among you [that] the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
δὲ γενομένης Πολλῆς ζητήσεως Πέτρος ἀναστὰς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὅτι ἀφ’ ἀρχαίων ἡμερῶν ὁ Θεὸς ἐξελέξατο ἐν ὑμῖν τὰ ἔθνη ἀκοῦσαι διὰ μου τοῦ στόματός τὸν λόγον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου καὶ πιστεῦσαι de genomenēs Pollēs zētēseōs Petros anastas eipen pros autous Andres adelphoi hymeis epistasthe hoti aph’ archaiōn hēmerōn ho Theos exelexato en hymin ta ethnē akousai dia mou tou stomatos ton logon tou euangeliou kai pisteusai — NA/TR · 7
8
And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as [He did] to us.
καὶ Θεὸς ὁ καρδιογνώστης ἐμαρτύρησεν δοὺς τὸ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα αὐτοῖς καὶ καθὼς ἡμῖν kai Theos ho kardiognōstēs emartyrēsen dous to to Hagion Pneuma autois kai kathōs hēmin — NA/TR · 8
9
- vvv He made no distinction between us and them, [for] He cleansed their hearts by faith.
καὶ οὐθὲν διέκρινεν μεταξὺ τε ἡμῶν καὶ αὐτῶν καθαρίσας αὐτῶν τὰς καρδίας τῇ πίστει kai outhen diekrinen metaxy te hēmōn kai autōn katharisas autōn tas kardias tē pistei — NA/TR · 9
10
Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
Νῦν οὖν τί πειράζετε τὸν Θεόν ἐπιθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον τῶν μαθητῶν ζυγὸν ὃν οὔτε ἡμεῖς οὔτε ἡμῶν οἱ πατέρες ἰσχύσαμεν βαστάσαι Nyn oun ti peirazete ton Theon epitheinai epi ton trachēlon tōn mathētōn zygon hon oute hēmeis oute hēmōn hoi pateres ischysamen bastasai — NA/TR · 10
11
On the contrary, we believe [it is] through the grace of [the] Lord Jesus [that] we are saved, vvv vvv just as they [are].
ἀλλὰ πιστεύομεν διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ σωθῆναι καθ’ ὃν τρόπον κἀκεῖνοι alla pisteuomen dia tēs charitos tou Kyriou Iēsou sōthēnai kath’ hon tropon kakeinoi — NA/TR · 11
12
- The whole assembly fell silent [as they] listened to Barnabas and Paul describing [the] signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
δὲ τὸ πᾶν πλῆθος Ἐσίγησεν καὶ ἤκουον Βαρνάβα καὶ Παύλου ἐξηγουμένων ὅσα σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησεν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν δι’ αὐτῶν de to pan plēthos Esigēsen kai ēkouon Barnaba kai Paulou exēgoumenōn hosa sēmeia kai terata ho Theos epoiēsen en tois ethnesin di’ autōn — NA/TR · 12
13
- When they had finished speaking, James declared -, “vvv Brothers, listen to me!
δὲ Μετὰ τὸ αὐτοὺς σιγῆσαι Ἰάκωβος ἀπεκρίθη λέγων Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί ἀκούσατέ μου de Meta to autous sigēsai Iakōbos apekrithē legōn Andres adelphoi akousate mou — NA/TR · 13
14
Simon has told us how God first visited [the Gentiles] to take from [them] a people [to be] His [own].
Συμεὼν ἐξηγήσατο καθὼς ὁ Θεὸς πρῶτον ἐπεσκέψατο λαβεῖν ἐξ ἐθνῶν λαὸν τῷ αὐτοῦ ὀνόματι Symeōn exēgēsato kathōs ho Theos prōton epeskepsato labein ex ethnōn laon tō autou onomati — NA/TR · 14
15
- The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
καὶ οἱ λόγοι τῶν προφητῶν συμφωνοῦσιν τούτῳ καθὼς γέγραπται kai hoi logoi tōn prophētōn symphōnousin toutō kathōs gegraptai — NA/TR · 15
16
‘After [this] I will return and rebuild - the fallen tent of David. - Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it…,
Μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναστρέψω καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὴν τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν σκηνὴν Δαυὶδ καὶ τὰ αὐτῆς κατεσκαμμένα ἀνοικοδομήσω καὶ ἀνορθώσω αὐτήν Meta tauta anastrepsō kai anoikodomēsō tēn tēn peptōkuian skēnēn Dauid kai ta autēs kateskammena anoikodomēsō kai anorthōsō autēn — NA/TR · 16
17
so that the remnant of men vvv may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name -, says [the] Lord who does these things
ὅπως οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἂν ἐκζητήσωσιν τὸν Κύριον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐφ’ οὓς ἐπικέκληται μου τὸ ὄνομά ἐπ’ αὐτούς λέγει Κύριος ποιῶν ταῦτα hopōs hoi kataloipoi tōn anthrōpōn an ekzētēsōsin ton Kyrion kai panta ta ethnē eph’ hous epikeklētai mou to onoma ep’ autous legei Kyrios poiōn tauta — NA/TR · 17
18
[that] have been known for ages.’
γνωστὰ ἀπ’ αἰῶνος gnōsta ap’ aiōnos — NA/TR · 18
19
[It is] my judgment, therefore, vvv that we should not cause trouble for - the Gentiles [who] are turning to God.
ἐγὼ κρίνω Διὸ μὴ παρενοχλεῖν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐπιστρέφουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν egō krinō Dio mē parenochlein tois apo tōn ethnōn epistrephousin epi ton Theon — NA/TR · 19
20
Instead, we should write [ and tell] them to abstain from [ food ] polluted by idols, [from] sexual immorality, [from] the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
ἀλλὰ ἐπιστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἀλισγημάτων τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ τῆς πορνείας καὶ τοῦ πνικτοῦ καὶ τοῦ αἵματος alla episteilai autois tou apechesthai tōn alisgēmatōn tōn eidōlōn kai tēs porneias kai tou pniktou kai tou haimatos — NA/TR · 20
21
For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times [and] is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.
γὰρ Μωϋσῆς ἔχει τοὺς κηρύσσοντας αὐτὸν κατὰ πόλιν ἐκ ἀρχαίων γενεῶν ἀναγινωσκόμενος ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς κατὰ πᾶν σάββατον gar Mōusēs echei tous kēryssontas auton kata polin ek archaiōn geneōn anaginōskomenos en tais synagōgais kata pan sabbaton — NA/TR · 21
The Letter to the Gentile Believers
22
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. [They chose] Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, [two] leaders… among the brothers,
Τότε τοῖς ἀποστόλοις καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις σὺν τῇ ὅλῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἔδοξε ἐκλεξαμένους ἄνδρας ἐξ αὐτῶν πέμψαι εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν σὺν τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ Βαρνάβᾳ Ἰούδαν τὸν καλούμενον Βαρσαββᾶν καὶ Σιλᾶν ἡγουμένους ἄνδρας ἐν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς Tote tois apostolois kai tois presbyterois syn tē holē ekklēsia edoxe eklexamenous andras ex autōn pempsai eis Antiocheian syn tō Paulō kai Barnaba Ioudan ton kaloumenon Barsabban kai Silan hēgoumenous andras en tois adelphois — NA/TR · 22
23
[and sent them with] vvv vvv this letter: The apostles and the elders, [your] brothers, To the brothers among [the] Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
γράψαντες διὰ αὐτῶν χειρὸς Οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ἀδελφοὶ Τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν καὶ Συρίαν καὶ Κιλικίαν Χαίρειν grapsantes dia autōn cheiros Hoi apostoloi kai hoi presbyteroi adelphoi Tois adelphois tois ex ethnōn kata tēn Antiocheian kai Syrian kai Kilikian Chairein — NA/TR · 23
24
It has come to our attention… that some went out from us vvv vvv without our authorization [and] unsettled you, troubling your minds by what [they] said.
Ἐπειδὴ ἠκούσαμεν ὅτι τινὲς ἐξελθόντες ἐξ ἡμῶν οἷς οὐ διεστειλάμεθα ἐτάραξαν ὑμᾶς ἀνασκευάζοντες ὑμῶν τὰς ψυχὰς λόγοις Epeidē ēkousamen hoti tines exelthontes ex hēmōn hois ou diesteilametha etaraxan hymas anaskeuazontes hymōn tas psychas logois — NA/TR · 24
25
[So] we all agreed… to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
ἔδοξεν γενομένοις ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἡμῖν ἐκλεξαμένοις ἄνδρας πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς σὺν ἡμῶν τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς Βαρνάβᾳ καὶ Παύλῳ edoxen genomenois homothymadon hēmin eklexamenois andras pempsai pros hymas syn hēmōn tois agapētois Barnaba kai Paulō — NA/TR · 25
26
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ἀνθρώποις παραδεδωκόσι αὐτῶν τὰς ψυχὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἡμῶν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ anthrōpois paradedōkosi autōn tas psychas hyper tou onomatos hēmōn tou Kyriou Iēsou Christou — NA/TR · 26
27
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas - to tell you vvv [in person] the same things [we are writing].
οὖν ἀπεστάλκαμεν Ἰούδαν καὶ Σιλᾶν καὶ αὐτοὺς ἀπαγγέλλοντας διὰ λόγου τὰ αὐτά oun apestalkamen Ioudan kai Silan kai autous apangellontas dia logou ta auta — NA/TR · 27
28
- It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not vvv to burden you [with anything] beyond… these essential requirements:
γὰρ Ἔδοξεν τῷ τῷ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι καὶ ἡμῖν μηδὲν ἐπιτίθεσθαι βάρος ὑμῖν πλέον πλὴν τούτων τῶν ἐπάναγκες gar Edoxen tō tō Hagiō Pneumati kai hēmin mēden epitithesthai baros hymin pleon plēn toutōn tōn epanankes — NA/TR · 28
29
[You must] abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid… these things. Farewell.
ἀπέχεσθαι εἰδωλοθύτων καὶ αἵματος καὶ πνικτῶν καὶ πορνείας πράξετε εὖ διατηροῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐξ ὧν Ἔρρωσθε apechesthai eidōlothytōn kai haimatos kai pniktōn kai porneias praxete eu diatērountes heautous ex hōn Errōsthe — NA/TR · 29
The Believers at Antioch Rejoice
30
So [the men] were sent off [and] went down to Antioch, [where] they assembled the congregation [and] delivered the letter.
οὖν Οἱ μὲν ἀπολυθέντες κατῆλθον εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν καὶ συναγαγόντες τὸ πλῆθος ἐπέδωκαν τὴν ἐπιστολήν oun Hoi men apolythentes katēlthon eis Antiocheian kai synagagontes to plēthos epedōkan tēn epistolēn — NA/TR · 30
31
[When] [the people] read [it], they rejoiced at [its] encouraging message.
δὲ ἀναγνόντες ἐχάρησαν ἐπὶ τῇ παρακλήσει de anagnontes echarēsan epi tē paraklēsei — NA/TR · 31
32
- Judas and Silas, [who] themselves were prophets, said much… to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
τε Ἰούδας καὶ Σιλᾶς καὶ αὐτοὶ ὄντες προφῆται διὰ πολλοῦ λόγου παρεκάλεσαν καὶ ἐπεστήριξαν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς te Ioudas kai Silas kai autoi ontes prophētai dia pollou logou parekalesan kai epestērixan tous adelphous — NA/TR · 32
33
- After spending some time [there], they were sent off by the brothers in peace to [return to] those who had sent them.
δὲ ποιήσαντες χρόνον ἀπελύθησαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν μετ’ εἰρήνης πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστείλαντας αὐτούς de poiēsantes chronon apelythēsan apo tōn adelphōn met’ eirēnēs pros tous aposteilantas autous — NA/TR · 33
35
But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with… many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
δὲ Παῦλος καὶ Βαρνάβας διέτριβον ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ μετὰ καὶ πολλῶν ἑτέρων διδάσκοντες καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου de Paulos kai Barnabas dietribon en Antiocheia meta kai pollōn heterōn didaskontes kai euangelizomenoi ton logon tou Kyriou — NA/TR · 35
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Begins
36
- Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “- Let us go back [and] visit the brothers in every town vvv where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [ to see ] how they are doing.
δέ τινας ἡμέρας Μετὰ Παῦλος εἶπεν πρὸς Βαρνάβαν δὴ Ἐπιστρέψαντες ἐπισκεψώμεθα τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν ἐν αἷς κατηγγείλαμεν τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου πῶς ἔχουσιν de tinas hēmeras Meta Paulos eipen pros Barnaban dē Epistrepsantes episkepsōmetha tous adelphous kata pasan polin en hais katēngeilamen ton logon tou Kyriou pōs echousin — NA/TR · 36
37
- Barnabas wanted to take - John, [also] called Mark.
δὲ Βαρνάβας ἐβούλετο συμπαραλαβεῖν καὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην τὸν καλούμενον Μάρκον de Barnabas ebouleto symparalabein kai ton Iōannēn ton kaloumenon Markon — NA/TR · 37
38
But Paul thought it best not to take him, [because] he had deserted… them in Pamphylia and vvv had not accompanied them in the work.
δὲ Παῦλος ἠξίου μὴ συμπαραλαμβάνειν τοῦτον τὸν ἀποστάντα ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Παμφυλίας καὶ μὴ συνελθόντα αὐτοῖς εἰς τὸ ἔργον de Paulos ēxiou mē symparalambanein touton ton apostanta ap’ autōn apo Pamphylias kai mē synelthonta autois eis to ergon — NA/TR · 38
39
vvv Their disagreement was so sharp… that they parted vvv company. - Barnabas took Mark [and] sailed for Cyprus,
δὲ παροξυσμός Ἐγένετο ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἀποχωρισθῆναι ἀπ’ ἀλλήλων τε τόν Βαρνάβαν παραλαβόντα τὸν Μάρκον ἐκπλεῦσαι εἰς Κύπρον de paroxysmos Egeneto hōste autous apochōristhēnai ap’ allēlōn te ton Barnaban paralabonta ton Markon ekpleusai eis Kypron — NA/TR · 39
40
but Paul chose Silas [and] left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
δὲ Παῦλος ἐπιλεξάμενος Σιλᾶν ἐξῆλθεν παραδοθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου de Paulos epilexamenos Silan exēlthen paradotheis hypo tōn adelphōn tē chariti tou Kyriou — NA/TR · 40
41
And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
δὲ διήρχετο τὴν Συρίαν καὶ τὴν Κιλικίαν ἐπιστηρίζων τὰς ἐκκλησίας de diērcheto tēn Syrian kai tēn Kilikian epistērizōn tas ekklēsias — NA/TR · 41