2 ARST Paul and Barnabas had a big argument with those Jews.{ They could not settle their disagreement,} so the believers at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas and some of the other believers to Jerusalem. That way they could discuss this issue with the apostles and other leaders there. BSB BSB: And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
3 ARST After the believers in Antioch had sent Paul, Barnabas, and the others on their way, they traveled through the provinces of Phoenicia and Samaria. When they stopped at different places along the way, they told the believers in those places that many non- Jews were putting their trust in Jesus. When the believers heard this, they rejoiced greatly. BSB BSB: Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.
4 ARST When Paul, Barnabas, and the others arrived in Jerusalem, the apostles, elders, and other believers there welcomed them. Then Paul and Barnabas reported the things that God had enabled them to do{ among non- Jewish people}. BSB BSB: On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
5 ARST But some of the Jewish believers who were Pharisees stood up{ to get the attention of the other believers}. They said to them,“The non- Jews who have believed in Jesus must receive circumcision. We must also tell them to obey the laws that God gave to Moses.” BSB BSB: But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
6 ARST Then the apostles and the elders met together in order to talk about this issue. BSB BSB: So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.
7 ARST After they had discussed it for a long time, Peter stood up{ to get everyone’ s attention}. He said to them,“Fellow believers, you all know that a long time ago God chose me from among you{ other apostles} for an important task. He wanted me to tell the non- Jewish people the good news about Jesus. God wanted them to believe in him. BSB BSB: After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
8 ARST God knows what every person is truly like. He showed me and others that he had accepted the non- Jews as his people. He did that by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as{ he gave the Holy Spirit} to us. BSB BSB: And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
9 ARST God treated them in the same way that he treated us. He forgave their sins because they trusted in Jesus. BSB BSB: He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
10 ARST Listen carefully! God has shown what he wants, so you should not be trying to promote something else. You should not be trying to force non- Jewish believers to obey our Jewish laws! That would be like putting a heavy burden on them. Our ancestors were not able to obey those laws. We Jews today have not been able to obey them either. BSB BSB: Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
11 ARST We are confident that God saves us Jews from our sins because of what the Lord Jesus did for us. And we are confident that God will save in the same way those non- Jews who believe in Jesus.” BSB BSB: On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12 ARST After Peter had spoken, Barnabas and Paul told about the many great miracles that God had enabled them to do among the non- Jewish people.{ The miracles showed that God had accepted these non- Jews.} The people who heard Barnabas and Paul tell about these miracles were so fascinated that all they did was listen. None of them said anything. BSB BSB: The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
14 ARST Simon Peter has told you how God previously showed that he cared about the non- Jews. God did that by choosing from among them a group of people who would belong to him. BSB BSB: Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own.
15 ARST What God said long ago, as we can read in the writings of one of the prophets, agrees with that: BSB BSB: The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16 ARST Later on, I will help the Israelites again. I will restore the kingdom of David that has been conquered and destroyed.{ I will do that by making one of the descendants of David the king of Israel again.} It will be as if I was rebuilding a house after it had been torn down. BSB BSB: ‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
17 ARST I will do this so that the rest of the people in the world will want me to be their Lord. This will include even the non- Jewish people whom I have chosen to belong to me. You can be certain that this will happen because I, the Lord God, have said that I will do it. BSB BSB: so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things
18 ARST I told my people long ago that I would do this.” BSB BSB: that have been known for ages.’
20 ARST Instead, we should write a letter to them about only a few things. They should not eat meat that people have offered to idols. They should not have sexual relations with someone to whom they are not married. They should not eat meat from animals that people have strangled to kill them for butchering. They should not eat or drink any blood. BSB BSB: Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
22 ARST The apostles and the elders, along with all the other believers in Jerusalem, agreed with what James said. So they decided that they should choose men from the church in Jerusalem and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Those men would let the believers there know what the leaders at Jerusalem had decided. So they chose Judas the son of Sabbas and Silas. These were both leaders of the believers at Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
23 ARST They wrote the following letter, which they asked Judas and Silas to take to the believers at Antioch:“We apostles and elders who are your fellow believers send our greetings to you. We are writing this to you non- Jewish believers who live in the city of Antioch and other places in the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. BSB BSB: and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24 ARST We have heard that some men from our church came to you and taught you things that were different from what you learned when you first believed in Jesus. We have heard that what they told you made you upset. We want you to know that we did not send these men to you. BSB BSB: It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
25 ARST We met together and we all agreed that it would be good to choose some men and ask them to go to you. We are sending them along with Barnabas and Paul, whom we love very much. BSB BSB: So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 ARST Those two have put their lives in danger because they serve our Lord Jesus the Messiah. BSB BSB: men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 ARST We have also sent Judas and Silas to you. They will tell you the same things that we are writing. BSB BSB: Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing.
29 ARST You should not eat food that people have sacrificed to idols. You should not eat or drink any blood. You should not eat meat from animals that people have killed by strangling them. You should not have sexual relations with someone to whom you are not married. If you avoid doing these things, you will be doing what is right. We wish you well.” BSB BSB: You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
30 ARST Then the apostles and elders sent Barnabas, Paul, Judas, and Silas on their way. They traveled from the city of Jerusalem to the city of Antioch. They assembled the believers there and read the letter to them. BSB BSB: So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.
31 ARST When the believers there read the letter, they were glad, because its message encouraged them. BSB BSB: When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.
32 ARST Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to encourage the Gentile believers. They helped them to trust in Jesus even more. BSB BSB: Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
33 ARST Judas and Silas stayed in Antioch for a long time. Then, when they were ready to return to Jerusalem, the believers at Antioch wished them well and they left. BSB BSB: After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers in peace to return to those who had sent them.
34 ARST But Silas thought it would be best for them to stay there. So Judas went back to Jerusalem alone. BSB BSB: Not in the BSB
35 ARST However, Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch. There they and many others taught the believers and shared the good news about Jesus. BSB BSB: But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
36 ARST After a while Paul said to Barnabas,“Let us go back and visit the believers in every city where we previously proclaimed the good news about Jesus. That way we can find out how well they are continuing to believe in and obey Jesus.” BSB BSB: Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
37 ARST { Barnabas agreed that it would be good to go back and visit these believers.} But Barnabas said that he wanted to take John, whose other name was Mark, along with them again. BSB BSB: Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
38 ARST However, Paul told Barnabas that he thought it was a bad idea to take Mark with them. Paul said this because Mark had left them when they were previously in the region of Pamphylia. Mark had not continued to work with them. BSB BSB: But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.
39 ARST Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed with each other about whether they should bring John Mark with them. So they separated from each other. Barnabas went on a journey of his own and took Mark with him. They sailed on a ship to the island of Cyprus. BSB BSB: Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
40 ARST Paul decided to travel with Silas. The believers in Antioch asked God graciously to help them. Then Paul and Silas departed from Antioch. BSB BSB: but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
41 ARST Paul traveled{ with Silas} through the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. In those places, they helped the groups of believers to trust in Jesus even more. BSB BSB: And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.