1But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (利12:3; 约21:23; 徒6:14; 徒15:3; 徒15:5; 徒15:22; 徒15:24; 徒15:36; 徒15:40; 林前7:18; 加2:11; 加2:14; 加5:2)2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. (徒5:12; 徒11:30; 徒15:4; 徒15:6; 徒15:7; 徒15:22; 徒16:4; 加2:1)3So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.[1] (徒11:18; 徒14:27; 徒15:1; 徒17:15; 徒21:5; 羅15:24; 林前16:6; 林前16:11; 林后1:16; 多3:13; 约三1:6)4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. (徒15:2; 徒15:3; 徒21:17)5But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” (徒15:1; 徒24:5; 加5:3)6The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. (徒15:4; 徒15:12; 徒15:25)7And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. (徒10:20; 徒15:2; 徒20:24; 弗1:13; 西1:5; 帖前1:5)8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, (徒1:24; 徒10:44; 徒10:47; 徒11:15; 徒11:17; 徒14:3; 徒15:28; 加3:2)9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. (诗51:10; 徒10:28; 徒10:34; 徒10:43; 徒11:12; 徒26:18; 羅3:22; 林后7:1; 弗3:6; 彼前1:22)10Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? (诗106:14; 赛7:12; 太11:28; 太23:4; 路11:46; 徒15:28; 加5:1)11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (徒15:9; 徒16:31; 羅3:24; 羅5:15; 弗2:5; 弗2:8; 帖前5:9; 提后1:9; 多2:11; 多3:7)12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. (徒14:27; 徒15:4)13After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. (徒12:17)14Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. (申7:6; 赛43:21; 徒15:7; 徒18:10; 羅9:24)15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,16“‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, (耶12:15; 摩9:11)17that the remnant[2] of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things (赛43:7; 耶14:9; 但9:19; 徒17:27)18known from of old.’ (赛45:21)19Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, (徒14:15; 徒15:28)20but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. (利3:17; 结4:13; 但1:8; 玛1:7; 玛1:12; 徒15:29; 徒21:25; 林前6:18; 林前10:7; 启2:14; 启2:20)21For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” (徒13:15; 徒13:27; 林后3:14)
The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers
22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, (徒1:23; 徒15:1; 徒15:2; 彼前5:12)23with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers[3] who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. (徒15:22; 徒23:26; 雅1:1; 约二1:10)24Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you[4] with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, (徒15:1; 加1:7; 加2:4; 加5:10; 加5:12; 多1:10)25it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, (徒1:14; 彼后3:15)26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (徒9:23; 徒14:19; 徒20:24; 徒21:13; 林后4:11; 约一3:16)27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. (徒15:22; 徒15:32)28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: (约16:13; 徒5:32; 徒15:8; 徒15:10; 徒15:19; 林前7:40; 启2:24)29that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” (徒15:20; 徒21:25; 林前8:1; 林前8:4; 林前8:7; 林前8:10; 林前10:19; 启2:14; 启2:20)30So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.31And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.32And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. (徒13:1; 徒14:22; 徒15:1)33And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.[5] (创26:29; 徒15:32; 林前16:11; 來11:31)35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. (徒13:1)
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” (徒13:4; 徒13:13; 徒13:51; 徒14:6; 徒14:24; 徒15:32)37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. (徒12:12)38But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. (徒13:13)39And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, (徒17:16; 西4:10)40but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. (徒11:23; 徒14:26; 徒15:1; 徒15:11; 羅16:20)41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (徒15:32; 徒16:5)