1 Then|strong="G2532" some|strong="G5100" men|strong="G5100" came|strong="G2718" to|strong="G1410" Antioch from|strong="G0575" Judea|strong="G2449" and|strong="G2532" began teaching|strong="G1321" the|strong="G3588" non-Jewish believers: “You|strong="G1437" cannot|strong="G3756" be|strong="G2532" saved|strong="G4982" if|strong="G1437" you|strong="G1437" are|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3756" circumcised|strong="G4059" as|strong="G2532" Moses|strong="G3475" taught|strong="G1321" us.”
2 Paul|strong="G3972" and|strong="G2532" Barnabas|strong="G0921" were|strong="G0243" against|strong="G4314" this|strong="G3778" teaching and|strong="G2532" argued with|strong="G4314" these|strong="G3778" men|strong="G3778" about|strong="G4012" it|strong="G0846". So|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" group decided|strong="G1096" to|strong="G1519" send Paul|strong="G3972", Barnabas|strong="G0921", and|strong="G2532" some|strong="G5100" others|strong="G0243" to|strong="G1519" Jerusalem|strong="G2419" to|strong="G1519" talk more|strong="G0243" about|strong="G4012" this|strong="G3778" with|strong="G4314" the|strong="G3588" apostles|strong="G0652" and|strong="G2532" elders|strong="G4245".
3 The|strong="G3956" church|strong="G1577" helped|strong="G4311" them|strong="G4160" get ready to|strong="G2532" leave on|strong="G4311" their|strong="G2532" trip. The|strong="G3956" men|strong="G3956" went|strong="G1330" through|strong="G1330" the|strong="G3956" countries of|strong="G1577" Phoenicia|strong="G5403" and|strong="G2532" Samaria|strong="G4540", where they|strong="G3767" told all|strong="G3956" about|strong="G1330" how the|strong="G3956" non-Jewish people|strong="G1484" had|strong="G3588" turned to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" true God|strong="G4160". This|strong="G3588" made|strong="G4160" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" believers very|strong="G2532" happy.
4 When|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" men|strong="G4245" arrived|strong="G3854" in|strong="G1519" Jerusalem|strong="G2419", the|strong="G3588" apostles|strong="G0652", the|strong="G3588" elders|strong="G4245", and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" whole church|strong="G1577" welcomed them|strong="G0846". Paul|strong="G0846", Barnabas, and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" others|strong="G3588" told|strong="G0312" about|strong="G1519" all|strong="G3745" that|strong="G0846" God|strong="G2316" had|strong="G2316" done|strong="G4160" with|strong="G3326" them|strong="G0846".
5 Some|strong="G5100" of|strong="G0575" the|strong="G3588" believers|strong="G4100" in|strong="G4100" Jerusalem had|strong="G1163" belonged|strong="G0575" to|strong="G3004" the|strong="G3588" Pharisees|strong="G5330". They|strong="G0846" stood|strong="G1817" up|strong="G1210" and|strong="G1161" said|strong="G3004", “The|strong="G3588" non-Jewish believers|strong="G4100" must|strong="G1163" be|strong="G1163" circumcised|strong="G4059". We|strong="G3754" must|strong="G1163" tell|strong="G3004" them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G3004" obey|strong="G5083" the|strong="G3588" Law|strong="G3551" of|strong="G0575" Moses|strong="G3475"!”
6 Then|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" apostles|strong="G0652" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" elders|strong="G4245" gathered|strong="G4863" to|strong="G2532" study this|strong="G3778" problem.
7 After|strong="G1161" a|strong="G1096" long|strong="G4183" debate|strong="G2214", Peter|strong="G4074" stood|strong="G0450" up|strong="G0450" and|strong="G2532" said|strong="G3004" to|strong="G4314" them|strong="G0846", “My|strong="G0191" brothers|strong="G0080", I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1096" sure you|strong="G5210" remember what|strong="G3588" happened|strong="G1096" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" early|strong="G0744" days|strong="G2250". God|strong="G2316" chose|strong="G1586" me|strong="G3004" from|strong="G0575" among|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G4314" tell|strong="G3004" the|strong="G3588" Good|strong="G2098" News|strong="G3056" to|strong="G4314" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" not|strong="G2532" Jewish. It|strong="G0846" was|strong="G4074" from|strong="G0575" me|strong="G3004" that|strong="G3754" they|strong="G0846" heard|strong="G0191" the|strong="G3588" Good|strong="G2098" News|strong="G3056" and|strong="G2532" believed|strong="G4100".
8 God|strong="G2316" knows|strong="G2589" everyone, even|strong="G2532" their|strong="G0846" thoughts, and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" accepted these|strong="G3588" non-Jewish people|strong="G0846". He|strong="G2532" showed this|strong="G3588" to|strong="G2532" us|strong="G1325" by|strong="G2532" giving|strong="G1325" them|strong="G0846" the|strong="G3588" Holy|strong="G0040" Spirit|strong="G4151" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G0846" as|strong="G2531" he|strong="G2532" did|strong="G1325" to|strong="G2532" us|strong="G1325".
9 To|strong="G2532" God|strong="G0846", those|strong="G3588" people|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3762" different from|strong="G2532" us. When|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" believed, God|strong="G0846" made|strong="G1252" their|strong="G0846" hearts|strong="G2588" pure.
10 So|strong="G3767" now|strong="G3568", why|strong="G5101" are|strong="G3739" you|strong="G3739" putting a|strong="G3739" heavy burden around|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" necks|strong="G5137" of|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" non-Jewish followers of|strong="G2316" Jesus? Are|strong="G3739" you|strong="G3739" trying|strong="G3985" to|strong="G1909" make God|strong="G2316" angry? We|strong="G2249" and|strong="G2316" our|strong="G2316" fathers|strong="G3962" were|strong="G3101" not|strong="G2480" able|strong="G2480" to|strong="G1909" carry|strong="G0941" that|strong="G3739" burden.
11 No|strong="G0235", we|strong="G3739" believe|strong="G4100" that|strong="G3739" we|strong="G3739" and|strong="G2962" these|strong="G3739" people|strong="G3588" will|strong="G3739" be|strong="G2962" saved|strong="G4982" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G3739" way|strong="G5158"—by|strong="G1223" the|strong="G3588" grace|strong="G5485" of|strong="G1223" the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" Jesus|strong="G2424".”
12 Then|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" whole|strong="G3956" group|strong="G4128" became|strong="G4601" quiet|strong="G4601". They|strong="G0846" listened|strong="G0191" while|strong="G1722" Paul|strong="G3972" and|strong="G2532" Barnabas|strong="G0921" told|strong="G1834" about|strong="G1722" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" miraculous signs|strong="G4592" and|strong="G2532" wonders|strong="G5059" that|strong="G0191" God|strong="G2316" had|strong="G2316" done|strong="G4160" through|strong="G1223" them|strong="G0846" among|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" non-Jewish people|strong="G4128".
13 When|strong="G1161" they|strong="G0846" finished speaking|strong="G3004", James|strong="G2385" said|strong="G3004", “My|strong="G0191" brothers|strong="G0080", listen|strong="G0191" to|strong="G3004" me|strong="G3004".
14 Simon|strong="G0846" Peter|strong="G0846" has|strong="G2316" told|strong="G1834" us|strong="G1537" how|strong="G2531" God|strong="G2316" showed his|strong="G0846" love for|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" non-Jewish people|strong="G2992". For|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" first|strong="G4413" time|strong="G4413", God|strong="G2316" accepted|strong="G2983" them|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2316" made them|strong="G0846" his|strong="G0846" people|strong="G2992".
15 The|strong="G3588" words|strong="G3056" of|strong="G3056" the|strong="G3588" prophets|strong="G4396" agree|strong="G4856" with|strong="G2532" this|strong="G3778" too|strong="G2532":
16 ‘I|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3778" return|strong="G0390" after|strong="G3326" this|strong="G3778".
17 Then|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" rest|strong="G2645" of|strong="G2962" the|strong="G3956" world will|strong="G3739" look for|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3956" Lord|strong="G2962" God|strong="G0846"—
18 ‘All this has|strong="G0165" been known|strong="G1110" from|strong="G0575" the|strong="G0575" beginning|strong="G0165" of|strong="G0575" time|strong="G0165".’
19 “So|strong="G1352" I|strong="G1473" think|strong="G2919" we|strong="G1352" should|strong="G2316" not|strong="G3361" make|strong="G3361" things|strong="G3588" hard for|strong="G1909" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G1473" turned|strong="G1994" to|strong="G1909" God|strong="G2316" from|strong="G0575" among|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" non-Jewish people|strong="G1484".
20 Instead|strong="G0235", we|strong="G2532" should|strong="G2532" send a|strong="G2532" letter telling them|strong="G0846" only|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" things|strong="G0846" they|strong="G0846" should|strong="G2532" not|strong="G0235" do|strong="G2532":
21 They|strong="G0846" should not do|strong="G2192" any|strong="G3956" of|strong="G1537" these|strong="G3588" things|strong="G3956", because|strong="G1063" there|strong="G1722" are|strong="G3956" still men|strong="G3956" in|strong="G1722" every|strong="G3956" city|strong="G4172" who|strong="G3588" teach the|strong="G3956" Law of|strong="G1537" Moses|strong="G3475". The|strong="G3956" words of|strong="G1537" Moses|strong="G3475" have|strong="G2192" been|strong="G2192" read|strong="G0314" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" synagogue|strong="G4864" every|strong="G3956" Sabbath|strong="G4521" day|strong="G4521" for|strong="G1063" many years.”
22 The|strong="G3588" apostles|strong="G0652", the|strong="G3588" elders|strong="G4245", and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" whole|strong="G3650" church|strong="G1577" wanted to|strong="G1519" send|strong="G3992" some|strong="G1537" men|strong="G0435" with|strong="G1722" Paul|strong="G3972" and|strong="G2532" Barnabas|strong="G0921" to|strong="G1519" Antioch|strong="G0490". The|strong="G3588" group decided|strong="G1380" to|strong="G1519" choose|strong="G1586" some|strong="G1537" of|strong="G1537" their|strong="G0846" own|strong="G0846" men|strong="G0435". They|strong="G0846" chose|strong="G1586" Judas|strong="G2455" (also|strong="G2532" called|strong="G2564" Barsabbas|strong="G0923") and|strong="G2532" Silas|strong="G4609", men|strong="G0435" who|strong="G3588" were|strong="G3588" respected by|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" believers.
23 The|strong="G3588" group sent|strong="G1125" the|strong="G3588" letter|strong="G1125" with|strong="G1537" these|strong="G3588" men|strong="G4245". The|strong="G3588" letter|strong="G1125" said|strong="G2532":
24 We|strong="G2249" have|strong="G3748" heard|strong="G0191" that|strong="G3754" some|strong="G5100" men|strong="G5100" have|strong="G3748" come|strong="G1831" to|strong="G5100" you|strong="G5210" from|strong="G1537" our|strong="G3739" group. What|strong="G3739" they|strong="G3739" said|strong="G3056" troubled|strong="G5015" and|strong="G3056" upset you|strong="G5210". But|strong="G1473" we|strong="G2249" did|strong="G0191" not|strong="G3756" tell them|strong="G3739" to|strong="G5100" do|strong="G5015" this|strong="G3588".
25 We|strong="G2249" have|strong="G2532" all|strong="G3588" agreed to|strong="G4314" choose|strong="G1586" some|strong="G3588" men|strong="G0435" and|strong="G2532" send|strong="G3992" them to|strong="G4314" you|strong="G5210". They|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1096" with|strong="G4862" our|strong="G2532" dear|strong="G0027" friends, Barnabas|strong="G0921" and|strong="G2532" Paul|strong="G3972".
26 Barnabas and|strong="G2962" Paul|strong="G0846" have|strong="G1473" given|strong="G3860" their|strong="G0846" lives|strong="G5590" to|strong="G0444" serve our|strong="G2424" Lord|strong="G2962" Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547".
27 So|strong="G3767" we|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2532" sent|strong="G0649" Judas|strong="G2455" and|strong="G2532" Silas|strong="G4609" with|strong="G1223" them|strong="G0846". They|strong="G0846" will|strong="G2532" tell|strong="G0518" you|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G0846" things|strong="G0846".
28 We|strong="G2249" agree with|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" Holy|strong="G0040" Spirit|strong="G4151" that|strong="G3778" you|strong="G5210" should|strong="G3778" have|strong="G2532" no|strong="G3367" more|strong="G4183" burdens|strong="G0922", except|strong="G4133" for|strong="G1063" these|strong="G3778" necessary things|strong="G3778":
29 Don’t eat food that|strong="G3739" has|strong="G3739" been|strong="G2532" given to|strong="G2532" idols|strong="G1494".
30 So|strong="G3767" Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and|strong="G2532" Silas left Jerusalem and|strong="G2532" went|strong="G2718" to|strong="G1519" Antioch|strong="G0490". There they|strong="G3767" gathered|strong="G4863" the|strong="G3588" group|strong="G4128" of|strong="G4128" believers together|strong="G4863" and|strong="G2532" gave|strong="G1929" them|strong="G0630" the|strong="G3588" letter|strong="G1992".
31 When|strong="G1161" the|strong="G3588" believers read|strong="G0314" it|strong="G1161", they|strong="G1161" were|strong="G3588" happy. The|strong="G3588" letter comforted them|strong="G1909".
32 Judas|strong="G2455" and|strong="G2532" Silas|strong="G4609", who|strong="G3588" were|strong="G1510" also|strong="G2532" prophets|strong="G4396", said|strong="G3056" many|strong="G4183" things|strong="G4183" to|strong="G2532" encourage|strong="G3870" the|strong="G3588" believers and|strong="G2532" make them|strong="G0846" stronger in|strong="G2532" their|strong="G0846" faith.
33 After|strong="G3326" Judas and|strong="G1161" Silas stayed there|strong="G1161" for|strong="G4314" a|strong="G4160" while|strong="G5550", they|strong="G0846" left|strong="G0575". They|strong="G0846" received a|strong="G4160" blessing of|strong="G0575" peace|strong="G1515" from|strong="G0575" the|strong="G3588" believers. Then|strong="G1161" they|strong="G0846" went back|strong="G4314" to|strong="G4314" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" had|strong="G3588" sent|strong="G0649" them|strong="G0846".
35 But|strong="G1161" Paul|strong="G3972" and|strong="G2532" Barnabas|strong="G0921" stayed|strong="G1304" in|strong="G1722" Antioch|strong="G0490". They|strong="G2532" and|strong="G2532" many|strong="G4183" others|strong="G2087" taught|strong="G1321" the|strong="G3588" believers and|strong="G2532" told other|strong="G2087" people|strong="G4183" the|strong="G3588" Good|strong="G2097" News|strong="G2097" about|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962".
36 A|strong="G2192" few|strong="G5100" days|strong="G2250" later|strong="G3326", Paul|strong="G3972" said|strong="G3004" to|strong="G4314" Barnabas|strong="G0921", “We|strong="G3739" should|strong="G5100" go back|strong="G1994" to|strong="G4314" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" towns|strong="G4172" where|strong="G3739" we|strong="G3739" told|strong="G3004" people|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" message|strong="G3056" of|strong="G3056" the|strong="G3956" Lord|strong="G2962". We|strong="G3739" should|strong="G5100" visit|strong="G1980" the|strong="G3956" believers to|strong="G4314" see how|strong="G4459" they|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3956" doing.”
37 Barnabas|strong="G0921" wanted|strong="G1014" to|strong="G2532" bring John|strong="G2491" Mark|strong="G3138" with|strong="G2532" them|strong="G2564" too|strong="G2532".
38 But|strong="G1161" on|strong="G1519" their|strong="G0846" first trip John|strong="G0846" Mark did not|strong="G3361" continue|strong="G2532" with|strong="G0575" them|strong="G0846" in|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" work|strong="G2041". He|strong="G2532" had|strong="G3972" left|strong="G0868" them|strong="G0846" at|strong="G1519" Pamphylia|strong="G3828". So|strong="G2532" Paul|strong="G3972" did not|strong="G3361" think it|strong="G0846" was|strong="G3588" a|strong="G2532" good idea to|strong="G1519" take|strong="G4838" him|strong="G0846" this|strong="G3778" time.
39 Paul|strong="G0846" and|strong="G1161" Barnabas|strong="G0921" had|strong="G3588" a|strong="G1096" big argument about|strong="G1519" this|strong="G3588". It|strong="G0846" was|strong="G3588" so|strong="G1161" bad that|strong="G5620" they|strong="G0846" separated|strong="G0673" and|strong="G1161" went|strong="G1096" different ways. Barnabas|strong="G0921" sailed|strong="G1602" to|strong="G1519" Cyprus|strong="G2954" and|strong="G1161" took|strong="G3880" Mark|strong="G3138" with|strong="G0575" him|strong="G0846".
40 Paul|strong="G3972" chose|strong="G1951" Silas|strong="G4609" to|strong="G0080" go|strong="G1831" with|strong="G5485" him|strong="G3860". The|strong="G3588" believers in|strong="G0080" Antioch put|strong="G3860" Paul|strong="G3972" into|strong="G3860" the|strong="G3588" Lord’s|strong="G2962" care and|strong="G1161" sent him|strong="G3860" out|strong="G1831".
41 Paul and|strong="G2532" Silas went|strong="G1330" through|strong="G1330" the|strong="G3588" countries of|strong="G1577" Syria|strong="G4947" and|strong="G2532" Cilicia|strong="G2791", helping the|strong="G3588" churches|strong="G1577" grow stronger.