¹Some people came from Judea and started teaching the Lord's followers that they could not be saved, unless they were circumcised as Moses had taught.[#Lv 12.3.]

²This caused trouble, and Paul and Barnabas argued with them about this teaching. So it was decided to send Paul and Barnabas and a few others to Jerusalem to discuss this problem with the apostles and the church leaders.

The Church Leaders Meet in Jerusalem

³The men who were sent by the church went through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling how the Gentiles had turned to God. This news made the Lord's followers very happy.

⁴When the men arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, including the apostles and the leaders. They told them everything God had helped them do.

⁵But some Pharisees had become followers of the Lord. They stood up and said, “Gentiles who have faith in the Lord must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses.”

⁶The apostles and church leaders met to discuss this problem about Gentiles.

⁷They had talked it over for a long time, when Peter got up and said:[#Ac 10.1-43.]

¹²Everyone kept quiet and listened as Barnabas and Paul told how God had given them the power to work a lot of miracles and wonders for the Gentiles.

¹³After they had finished speaking, James said:[#15.13 The Lord's brother.]

¹⁶“I, the Lord, will return[#Am 9.11,12 (LXX).]

and rebuild

David's fallen house.

I will build it from its ruins

and set it up again.

¹⁷Then other nations

will turn to me

and be my chosen ones.

I, the Lord, say this.

¹⁸I promised it long ago.”

A Letter to Gentiles Who Had Faith in the Lord

²²The apostles, the leaders, and all the church members decided to send some men to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Silas and Judas Barsabbas, who were two leaders of the Lord's followers.[#15.22 He may have been a brother of Joseph Barsabbas (see 1.23), but the name “Barsabbas” was often used by the Jewish people.]

²³They wrote a letter that said:

³⁰The four men left Jerusalem and went to Antioch. Then they called the church members together and gave them the letter.

³¹When the letter was read, everyone was pleased and greatly encouraged.

³²Judas and Silas were prophets, and they spoke a long time, encouraging and helping the Lord's followers.

³³The men from Jerusalem stayed on in Antioch for a while. And when they left to return to the ones who had sent them, the followers wished them well.

^34-35But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached about the Lord.[#15.34,35 Verse 34, which says that Silas decided to stay on in Antioch, is not in some manuscripts.]

Paul and Barnabas Go Their Separate Ways

³⁶Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let's go back and visit the Lord's followers in the cities where we preached his message. Then we will know how they are doing.”

³⁷Barnabas wanted to take along John, whose other name was Mark.

³⁸But Paul did not want to, because Mark had left them in Pamphylia and had stopped working with them.[#Ac 13.13.]

³⁹Paul and Barnabas argued, then each of them went his own way. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus,

⁴⁰but Paul took Silas and left after the followers had placed them in God's care.

⁴¹They traveled through Syria and Cilicia, encouraging the churches.