Acts 15

1 Then some men [from Judea province] came down [away from] from Judea and were teaching [instructing, guiding] the brothers [fellow Christians], “Unless you are circumcised [cut around, to circumcise] according to the custom [usual practice, tradition] of Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver], you cannot [no ability to] be saved [delivered from harm, rescued].” word study 2 And after engaging these men in sharp [intense, heated] debate [discussion, disputation], Paul [the apostle, formerly Saul] and Barnabas [son of encouragement] were appointed, along with some other [certain, specific] believers, to go up [ascend, travel] to Jerusalem [the holy city, capital of Israel] to see [meet with, consult] the apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] and elders [respected leaders, spiritual guides] about this [specific, important] question [issue, matter of dispute]. word study 3 Sent on their way [with provision and support] by the church [assembly, community of believers], they passed through Phoenicia [a region in Palestine] and Samaria [a city and region], recounting [telling in detail, declaring] the conversion [turning point, change of heart] of the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] and bringing great [intense, profound] joy [deep and lasting happiness] to all [every, entire] the brothers [fellow Christians, male siblings]. word study 4 On their arrival [having come to a place, reached their destination] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine], they were welcomed [received with warmth and hospitality] by the church [the assembly, the community of believers] and apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ, delegates of the Gospel] and elders [respected leaders, spiritual guides], to whom they reported [declared, announced, shared] all that God [the Supreme Being, Creator of the universe] had done [accomplished, brought about, worked] through them [by their means, in their midst, with their cooperation]. word study 5 But some believers [of the sect] from the party of the Pharisees [a Jewish sect that followed strict religious rules] stood up and declared, “The Gentiles [non-Jews, those outside the Jewish faith] must be circumcised [cut around, as a sign of covenant] and required [commanded, instructed] to obey [keep, observe] the law [regulations, teachings] of Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver, receiver of the Ten Commandments].” word study 6 So the apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] and elders [respected leaders, spiritual guides] met [gathered together, assembled] to look into [consider, examine, discuss] this matter [issue, question, concern]. word study 7 After much [prolonged, extensive] discussion [questioning, disputing], Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers [fellow believers, brethren], you know that in the early [former, ancient] days God [the supreme deity, Creator] made a choice [selected, elected] among you that the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] would hear from my lips [mouth, speech] the message [word, logos] of the gospel [good news, salvation] and believe [trust, have faith]. word study 8 And God [the heart-knower, who searches the innermost being], who knows [is intimately aware of] the heart, showed His approval [witness, testimony] by giving [bestowing, granting] the Holy [set apart, dedicated] Spirit [the vital principle, the divine breath] to them, just as [in the same manner] He did to us. word study 9 He made [put, did not make] no distinction [difference, separation] between us [we believers, the apostles] and them [the Gentiles, non-Jews], for He [God, the Father] cleansed [purified, made clean] their hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] by [through, because of] faith [trust, confidence in God]. word study 10 Now then [at this present time], why do you test [tempt, try to get someone to do something] God [the one true deity] by placing [putting, laying] on the necks [representing life or vulnerability] of the disciples [learners, pupils] a yoke [a wooden beam, a burden] that neither [not one or the other] we [I, me, the speaker] nor our fathers [male parents, ancestors] have been able to bear [carry, lift, endure]? word study 11 On the contrary [in opposition to what was said], we believe [have faith, trust] it is through [because of, by means of] the grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] of the Lord [Master, God] Jesus [God is salvation] that we are saved [rescued, delivered], just as [in the same way, similarly] they are [will be, shall be].” word study 12 The whole assembly [all the multitude, everyone] fell silent [kept silence, were quiet] as they listened to Barnabas [son of prophecy] and Paul [the apostle] describing [telling, declaring] the signs [miraculous tokens, wonders] and wonders [supernatural events, marvels] God [the one true deity] had done [accomplished, wrought] among the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] through [because of, by means of] them. word study 13 When they had finished speaking [come to an end, held their peace], James [the leader, a brother of Jesus] declared [answered, spoke up], “Brothers [men, fellow believers], listen to me [hearken unto me, give ear to me]! word study 14 Simon [Simeon, a leader in the early church] has told us how God [the one true deity, Creator of all] first [at the beginning, initially] visited [cared for, looked after] the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] to take [receive, accept] from them a people [a group of individuals, a nation] to be His own [for His name, under His authority]. word study 15 The words [messages, divine utterances] of the prophets [those who speak for God, interpreters of His will] agree with this [are in harmony, concur], as it is written [recorded, inscribed]: word study 16 ‘After [following, in the time that comes] this I will return [come back, turn again] and rebuild [restore, re-establish] the fallen [collapsed, ruined] tent [tabernacle, dwelling place] of David [the king of Israel]. Its ruins [the remains, what is left] I will rebuild [reconstruct, revive], and I will restore [re-establish, make right] it [to its former state, in a new way], word study 17 so that the remnant [remaining, leftover] of men may seek [search for, investigate] the Lord [God, the supreme authority], and all [every, the whole] the Gentiles [nations, non-Jewish people] who are called [invoked, appealed to] by My name [character, authority], says the Lord [God, the supreme ruler] who does [accomplishes, brings about] these things word study 18 that have been known [from the beginning of the world, from eternity] for ages [a long period of time, forever].’ word study 19 It is my judgment [I have decided, I think], therefore [for this reason, consequently], that we should not cause trouble [not make it difficult, not annoy] for the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, foreigners] who are turning [converting, reverting] to God [the one true deity, Almighty]. word study 20 Instead, we should write [send a letter, communicate] and tell them to abstain [refrain, keep themselves away] from food [meat, sacrifices] polluted [defiled, made unclean] by idols [false gods, images], from sexual immorality [fornication, lewdness], from the meat [flesh, sacrifices] of strangled [choked, killed without bloodshed] animals, and from blood [the life force, atoning sacrifice]. word study 21 For Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] has been proclaimed [preached, heralded] in every city [town, community] from ancient [old, former] times and is read [proclaimed, expounded] in the synagogues [Jewish meeting places, gatherings] on every Sabbath [day of rest, seventh day].” word study 22 Then [at that specific point in time] the apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] and elders [respected leaders], with the whole [entire, complete] church, decided [thought it good, agreed] to select [choose, appoint] men [adult males, leaders] from among them to send [dispatch, commission] to Antioch [a city in Syria] with Paul [originally named Saul] and Barnabas [son of prophecy]. They chose [selected, appointed] Judas [called Barsabbas, a leader among the brothers] called [named, known as] Barsabbas [son of Sabba] and Silas [a Christian leader], two leaders [chief men, governing authorities] among the brothers [fellow Christians, male siblings], word study 23 and sent them with this letter: The apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] and the elders [respected leaders], your brothers [fellow believers], To the brothers [fellow Christians] among the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] in Antioch [a city in Syria], Syria [a region in Asia], and Cilicia [a region in Asia Minor]: Greetings [a wish for joy and peace, to rejoice]. word study 24 It has come to our attention [since we have heard, been informed] that some [certain individuals, people] went out from us [from our group] without our authorization and unsettled [troubled, disturbed] you, troubling [causing confusion, disturbing] your minds [souls, thoughts] by what they said [with words, teachings]. word study 25 So we all agreed [being assembled with one accord, having come to one mind] to choose [select, pick out] men [adult males, representatives] to send [to dispatch, to commission] to you along with [together with, in company with] our beloved [cherished, dearly loved] Barnabas and Paul [our well-loved brothers], word study 26 men [who have hazarded, given up] who have risked their lives [souls, the breath of life] for the name [character, authority] of our Lord [master, God] Jesus [God is salvation] Christ [the anointed, Messiah]. word study 27 Therefore [then, as a consequence] we are sending [dispatching on a mission] Judas [a leader, also known as Jude] and Silas [a Christian coworker, also known as Silvanus] to tell [announce, declare] you in person [by word of mouth, face to face] the same things [the same message, the same truth] we are writing [expressing in this letter]. word study 28 It seemed good [to think, have an opinion] to the Holy Spirit [the divine breath, Spirit of God] and to us [the apostles, we] not to burden [place a weighty load] you with anything beyond [in addition to, more than] these essential [necessary, vital] requirements [instructions, commands]: word study 29 You must abstain [refrain, keep away] from food [meat, sacrifices] sacrificed to idols [false gods, images], from blood [the life force, atoning blood], from the meat [flesh, animals] of strangled [choked, killed] animals, and from sexual immorality [fornication, lewdness, whoredom]. You will do well [prosper, be blessed] to avoid [keep away from, refrain] these things [practices, sins]. Farewell [be strong, may you have peace]. word study 30 So the men [being dismissed, sent away] were sent off and went down to Antioch [a city in Syria], where they assembled [gathered, brought together] the congregation [multitude, large group of people] and delivered [handed over, gave] the letter [epistle, written message]. word study 31 When the people [having read it thoroughly, after reading] read it, they rejoiced [felt happy and glad, were very happy] at its [the letter’s, this] encouraging message [consolation, comfort, exhortation]. word study 32 Judas [a prophet, one who speaks for God] and Silas, who themselves were prophets [inspired messengers of God], said much [many words, a lengthy discourse] to encourage [comfort, exhort] and strengthen [establish, make firm] the brothers [fellow believers, Christian brethren]. word study 33 After spending [tarrying, staying for a while] some time [a period, an interval] there, they were sent off [dismissed, let go] by the brothers [fellow Christians, male siblings] in peace [harmony, prosperity, freedom from war] to return to those [the apostles, the ones] who had sent [appointed, commissioned] them. word study 35 But Paul [as a team] and Barnabas remained [stayed, tarried] at Antioch [in the city of Antioch], along with many [a large number of] others, teaching [instructing, guiding] and preaching [proclaiming, announcing good news] the word [Logos, message] of the Lord [God, the supreme authority]. word study 36 Some time later [after certain days] Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back [return now] and visit [care for, look after] the brothers [fellow believers, brethren] in every town [city, place] where we proclaimed [preached, shared] the word [message, logos] of the Lord [God, Master], to see [know, understand] how they are doing [how they fare, their condition].” word study 37 Barnabas [the son of prophecy, a leader in the early church] wanted [planned, was minded] to take [to accompany, to bring along] John [surnamed], also called [invited, named] Mark [a Christian, possibly the writer of the Gospel of Mark]. word study 38 But Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] thought it best [deemed worthy, considered it good] not to take him, because he had deserted [withdrawn, left] them in Pamphylia [a region in Asia Minor] and had not accompanied [gone with, joined] them in the work [ministry, labor, God’s service]. word study 39 Their disagreement [sharp contention, strong argument] was so sharp [intense, provocative] that they parted company [separated from one another, departed asunder]. Barnabas [son of prophecy, encourager] took Mark [Christian companion, possible Gospel writer] and sailed [set sail, departed by ship] for Cyprus [island in the Mediterranean, early Christian hub], word study 40 but Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] chose Silas [a Christian coworker, also known as Silvanus] and left, commended [delivered, entrusted] by the brothers [fellow believers, male siblings in the faith] to the grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] of the Lord [the supreme God, Master of all]. word study 41 And he traveled [went, passed through] through Syria [a region in Asia] and Cilicia [a province in Asia Minor], strengthening [confirming, making stronger] the churches [assemblies, communities of believers]. word study