1Alguns homens desceram da Judeia para Antioquia e passaram a ensinar aos irmãos: “Se vocês não forem circuncidados conforme o costume ensinado por Moisés, não poderão ser salvos”.2Isso levou Paulo e Barnabé a uma grande contenda e discussão com eles. Assim, Paulo e Barnabé foram designados, com outros, para irem a Jerusalém tratar dessa questão com os apóstolos e com os presbíteros.3A igreja os enviou e, ao passarem pela Fenícia e por Samaria, contaram como os gentios tinham se convertido; essas notícias alegravam muito a todos os irmãos.4Chegando a Jerusalém, foram bem recebidos pela igreja, pelos apóstolos e pelos presbíteros, a quem relataram tudo o que Deus tinha feito por meio deles.5Então se levantaram alguns do partido religioso dos fariseus que haviam crido e disseram: “É necessário circuncidá-los e exigir deles que obedeçam à Lei de Moisés”.6Os apóstolos e os presbíteros se reuniram para considerar essa questão.7Depois de muita discussão, Pedro levantou-se e dirigiu-se a eles: “Irmãos, vocês sabem que há muito tempo Deus me escolheu dentre vocês para que os gentios ouvissem de meus lábios a mensagem do evangelho e cressem.8Deus, que conhece os corações, demonstrou que os aceitou, dando-lhes o Espírito Santo, como antes nos tinha concedido.9Ele não fez distinção alguma entre nós e eles, visto que purificou os seus corações pela fé.10Então, por que agora vocês estão querendo tentar a Deus, pondo sobre os discípulos um jugo que nem nós nem nossos antepassados conseguimos suportar?11De modo nenhum! Cremos que somos salvos pela graça de nosso Senhor Jesus, assim como eles também”.12Toda a assembleia ficou em silêncio, enquanto ouvia Barnabé e Paulo falando de todos os sinais e maravilhas que, por meio deles, Deus fizera entre os gentios.13Quando terminaram de falar, Tiago tomou a palavra e disse: “Irmãos, ouçam-me.14Simão nos expôs como Deus, no princípio, voltou-se para os gentios a fim de reunir dentre as nações um povo para o seu nome.15Concordam com isso as palavras dos profetas, conforme está escrito:16“ ‘Depois disso voltarei e reconstruirei a tenda caída de Davi. Reedificarei as suas ruínas, e a restaurarei,17para que o restante dos homens busque o Senhor, e todos os gentios sobre os quais tem sido invocado o meu nome, diz o Senhor, que faz estas coisas’18conhecidas desde os tempos antigos.[1]19“Portanto, julgo que não devemos pôr dificuldades aos gentios que estão se convertendo a Deus.20Ao contrário, devemos escrever a eles, dizendo-lhes que se abstenham de comida contaminada pelos ídolos, da imoralidade sexual, da carne de animais estrangulados e do sangue.21Pois, desde os tempos antigos, Moisés é pregado em todas as cidades, sendo lido nas sinagogas todos os sábados”.
A Carta do Concílio aos Cristãos Gentios
22Então os apóstolos e os presbíteros, com toda a igreja, decidiram escolher alguns dentre eles e enviá-los a Antioquia com Paulo e Barnabé. Escolheram Judas, chamado Barsabás, e Silas, dois líderes entre os irmãos.23Com eles enviaram a seguinte carta: Os irmãos apóstolos e presbíteros,[2] aos cristãos gentios que estão em Antioquia, na Síria e na Cilícia: Saudações.24Soubemos que alguns saíram de nosso meio, sem nossa autorização, e os perturbaram, transtornando a mente de vocês com o que disseram.25Assim, concordamos todos em escolher alguns homens e enviá-los a vocês com nossos amados irmãos Paulo e Barnabé,26homens que têm arriscado a vida pelo nome de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo.27Portanto, estamos enviando Judas e Silas para confirmarem verbalmente o que estamos escrevendo.28Pareceu bem ao Espírito Santo e a nós não impor a vocês nada além das seguintes exigências necessárias:29Que se abstenham de comida sacrificada aos ídolos, do sangue, da carne de animais estrangulados e da imoralidade sexual. Vocês farão bem em evitar essas coisas. Que tudo lhes vá bem.30Uma vez despedidos, os homens desceram para Antioquia, onde reuniram a igreja e entregaram a carta.31Os irmãos a leram e se alegraram com a sua animadora mensagem.32Judas e Silas, que eram profetas, encorajaram e fortaleceram os irmãos com muitas palavras.33Tendo passado algum tempo ali, foram despedidos pelos irmãos com a bênção da paz para voltarem aos que os tinham enviado,34mas Silas decidiu ficar.[3]35Paulo e Barnabé permaneceram em Antioquia, onde, com muitos outros, ensinavam e pregavam a palavra do Senhor.
O Desentendimento entre Paulo e Barnabé
36Algum tempo depois, Paulo disse a Barnabé: “Voltemos para visitar os irmãos em todas as cidades onde pregamos a palavra do Senhor, para ver como estão indo”.37Barnabé queria levar João, também chamado Marcos.38Mas Paulo não achava prudente levá-lo, pois ele, abandonando-os na Panfília, não permanecera com eles no trabalho.39Tiveram um desentendimento tão sério que se separaram. Barnabé, levando consigo Marcos, navegou para Chipre,40mas Paulo escolheu Silas e partiu, encomendado pelos irmãos à graça do Senhor.41Passou, então, pela Síria e pela Cilícia, fortalecendo as igrejas.
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.” (Lv 12:3; Jo 21:23; At 6:14; At 15:3; At 15:5; At 15:22; At 15:24; At 15:36; At 15:40; 1 Co 7:18; Gl 2:11; Gl 2:14; Gl 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. (At 5:12; At 11:30; At 15:4; At 15:6; At 15:7; At 15:22; At 16:4; Gl 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] (At 11:18; At 14:27; At 15:1; At 17:15; At 21:5; Rm 15:24; 1 Co 16:6; 1 Co 16:11; 2 Co 1:16; Tt 3:13; 3 Jo 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. (At 15:2; At 15:3; At 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.” (At 15:1; At 24:5; Gl 5:3)6The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. (At 15:4; At 15:12; At 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. (At 10:20; At 15:2; At 20:24; Ef 1:13; Cl 1:5; 1 Ts 1:5)8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, (At 1:24; At 10:44; At 10:47; At 11:15; At 11:17; At 14:3; At 15:28; Gl 3:2)9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. (Sl 51:10; At 10:28; At 10:34; At 10:43; At 11:12; At 26:18; Rm 3:22; 2 Co 7:1; Ef 3:6; 1 Pe 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? (Sl 106:14; Is 7:12; Mt 11:28; Mt 23:4; Lc 11:46; At 15:28; Gl 5:1)11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (At 15:9; At 16:31; Rm 3:24; Rm 5:15; Ef 2:5; Ef 2:8; 1 Ts 5:9; 2 Tm 1:9; Tt 2:11; Tt 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. (At 14:27; At 15:4)13After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. (At 12:17)14Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. (Dt 7:6; Is 43:21; At 15:7; At 18:10; Rm 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, (Jr 12:15; Am 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 (Is 43:7; Jr 14:9; Dn 9:19; At 17:27)18known from of old.’ (Is 45:21)19Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, (At 14:15; At 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. (Lv 3:17; Ez 4:13; Dn 1:8; Ml 1:7; Ml 1:12; At 15:29; At 21:25; 1 Co 6:18; 1 Co 10:7; Ap 2:14; Ap 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.” (At 13:15; At 13:27; 2 Co 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, (At 1:23; At 15:1; At 15:2; 1 Pe 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. (At 15:22; At 23:26; Tg 1:1; 2 Jo 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, (At 15:1; Gl 1:7; Gl 2:4; Gl 5:10; Gl 5:12; Tt 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, (At 1:14; 2 Pe 3:15)26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (At 9:23; At 14:19; At 20:24; At 21:13; 2 Co 4:11; 1 Jo 3:16)27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. (At 15:22; At 15:32)28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: (Jo 16:13; At 5:32; At 15:8; At 15:10; At 15:19; 1 Co 7:40; Ap 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.” (At 15:20; At 21:25; 1 Co 8:1; 1 Co 8:4; 1 Co 8:7; 1 Co 8:10; 1 Co 10:19; Ap 2:14; Ap 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. (At 13:1; At 14:22; At 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] (Gn 26:29; At 15:32; 1 Co 16:11; Hb 11:31)35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. (At 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.” (At 13:4; At 13:13; At 13:51; At 14:6; At 14:24; At 15:32)37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. (At 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. (At 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, (At 17:16; Cl 4:10)40but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. (At 11:23; At 14:26; At 15:1; At 15:11; Rm 16:20)41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (At 15:32; At 16:5)