1 Daži, atnākuši no Jūdejas, mācīja brāļus: „Ja jūs neapgraiza pēc Mozus bauslības, jūs nevarat tikt pestīti.“
2 Kad Pāvilam un Bamabam izcēlās ar viņiem liels strīds un vārdu maiņa, tad nosprieda, lai Pāvils, Bamaba un daži citi ietu šī jautājuma dēļ pie apustuļiem un vecajiem uz Jeruzālemi.
3 Draudzes pavadīti, viņi gāja caur Foinikiju un Samariju un, stāstīdami par pagānu atgriešanos, sagādāja visiem brāļiem lielu prieku.
4 Kad viņi nonāca Jeruzālemē, viņus uzņēma draudze, apustuļi un vecaji, un viņi pasludināja, ko Dievs ar viņiem darījis.
5 Bet piecēlās daži no farizeju sektas, kas bija kļuvuši ticīgi, un sacīja: „Tos vajaga apzīmēt ar derības zīmi un pavēlēt tiem turēt Mozus bauslību.“
6 Apustuļi un vecaji sapulcējās apspriest šo jautājumu.
7 Bet, kad radās daudz pārrunu, Pēteris piecēlās un uz tiem runāja: „Brāļi, jūs zināt, ka Dievs kopš senām dienām jūsu starpā nolēmis, lai pagāni no manas mutes dzirdētu evaņģēliju un ticētu.
8 Un Dievs, siržu pazinējs, tiem devis labu liecību, dāvādams Svēto Garu, tāpat kā mums.
9 Un nemaz nav šķirojis mūs un viņus, šķīstīdams viņu sirdis ar ticību.
10 Ko jūs tagad Dievu kārdināt, uz mācekļu kakla likdami jūgu, ko ne mūsu tēvi, ne mēs nespējām panest?
11 Bet mēs ticam, ka ar Kunga Jēzus žēlastību tiksim pestīti, tāpat kā viņi.“
12 Viss pulks klusēja un klausījās, kad Barnaba un Pāvils stāstīja, kādas zīmes un brīnumus Dievs caur viņiem bija darījis pagānu vidū.
13 Kad viņi bija beiguši rimāt, Jēkabs atbildēja, sacīdams: „Brāļi, uzklausait mani!
14 Sīmanis stāstīja, kā Dievam pirmo reizi labpaticis ļaudis no pagāniem pievienot savam vārdam.
15 Un ar to saskan praviešu vārdi, kā ir rakstīts:
16 Pēc tam es atkal uzcelšu Dāvida sagruvušo mājokli; kas tanī sagāzies, to es atjaunošu un to atkal uzcelšu,
17 Lai pārējie cilvēki meklē to Kungu, un visi pagāni, pār kupem mans vārds ir piesaukts, —saka tas Kungs, kas to dara
18 Zināmu no mūžības.
19 Tāpēc es domāju, ka nevajaga apgrūtināt tos, kas no pagāniem atgriežas pie Dieva,
20 Bet viņiem vajag pavēlēt, lai sargās no apgānīšanās ar elkiem, no netiklības un no nožņaugtu dzīvnieku un asins baudīšanas.
21 Jo Mozum no seniem laikiem ir visās pilsētās savi sludinātāji, un viņu katru sabatu lasa sinagogās.“
22 Tad apustuļi un vecaji līdz ar visu draudzi nolēma sūtīt no sava vidus izvēlētus vīrus kopā ar Pāvilu un Barnabu uz Antiochiju: Jūdu, ar pievārdu Barsaba, un Sīļu, vīrus, kas izcēlās starp brāļiem,
23 Un ar viņu roku rakstīt: „Apustuļi un vecaji sūta brāļu sveicienu brāļiem Antiochijā, Sirijā un Kilikijā, kas bijuši pagāni.
24 Tā kā mēs esam dzirdējuši, ka daži no mums, kam mēs neesam pavēlējuši, jūs ar vārdiem samulsinājuši, padarīdami šaubīgas jūsu dvēseles,
25 Tad mēs vienprātīgi nospriedām sūtīt pie jums izvēlētus vīrus līdz ar mūsu mīļajiem Barnabu un Pāvila,
26 Cilvēkiem, kas ar visu sirdi nodevušies mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus vārdam.
27 Mēs esam sūtījuši Jūdu un Sīļu, kas to pašu arī vārdos pasacīs.
28 Jo Svētajam Garam un mums ir paticis jums neuzlikt nekādu citu nastu, kā vien šo nepieciešamo:
29 Sargāties no elku upupiem, asinīm, nožņaugtā un netiklības; no tā sargādamies, jūs labi darīsit. Dzīvojiet veseli!“
30 Atlaisti viņi nonāca Antiochijā un, draudzi sapulcējuši, nodeva vēstuli.
31 Kad viņi to lasīja, draudze priecājās par labo pamācību.
32 Bet Jūda un Sila, arī paši būdami pravieši, pamācīja brāļus ar daudz vārdiem un tos stiprināja.
33 Kad viņi kādu laiku tur bija palikuši, brāļi viņus ar miera sveicienu atlaida pie tiem, kas viņus bija sūtījuši.
34 [Bet Sila nolēma palikt tur.]
35 Bet Pāvils un Barnaba palika Antiochijā, kopā ar daudz citiem, mācī-dami un sludinādami tā Kunga vārdu.
36 Pēc dažām dienām Pāvils sacīja Bamabam: „Iesim atkal un visās pilsētās, kur tā Kunga vārdu esam sludinājuši, apraudzīsim brāļus, kā tiem klājas!“
37 Barnaba gribēja ņemt līdz Jāni, sauktu Marku;
38 Bet Pāvils negribēja ņemt līdz tādu, kas Pamfilijā bija no viņiem nošķiries un nebija viņiem gājis darbā līdz.
39 Tad radās sarūgtinājums, tā ka viņi viens no otra šķīrās, un Barnaba ņēma līdz Marku un pārcēlās uz Kipru.
40 Bet Pāvils, izvēlējis Silu, devās ceļā, un brāļi to novēlēja tā Kunga žēlastībai.
41 Viņš pārstaigāja Siriju un Kilikiju, stiprinādams draudzes.
The Meeting at Jerusalem
1 Some men came from Judea to Antioch and started teaching the believers, “You cannot be saved unless you are circumcised as the Law of Moses requires.” 2 Paul and Barnabas got into a fierce argument with them about this, so it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others in Antioch should go to Jerusalem and see the apostles and elders about this matter.
3 They were sent on their way by the church; and as they went through Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported how the Gentiles had turned to God; this news brought great joy to all the believers. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and the elders met together to consider this question. 7 After a long debate Peter stood up and said, “My friends, you know that a long time ago God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, so that they could hear and believe. 8 And God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us. 9 He made no difference between us and them; he forgave their sins because they believed. 10 So then, why do you now want to put God to the test by laying a load on the backs of the believers which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry? 11 No! We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”
12 The whole group was silent as they heard Barnabas and Paul report all the miracles and wonders that God had performed through them among the Gentiles. 13 When they had finished speaking, James spoke up: “Listen to me, my friends! 14 Simon has just explained how God first showed his care for the Gentiles by taking from among them a people to belong to him. 15 The words of the prophets agree completely with this. As the scripture says,
16 ‘After this I will return, says the Lord,
and restore the kingdom of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and make it strong again.
17 And so all the rest of the human race will come to me,
all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own.
18 So says the Lord, who made this known long ago.’
19 “It is my opinion,” James went on, “that we should not trouble the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write a letter telling them not to eat any food that is ritually unclean because it has been offered to idols; to keep themselves from sexual immorality; and not to eat any animal that has been strangled, or any blood. 21 For the Law of Moses has been read for a very long time in the synagogues every Sabbath, and his words are preached in every town.”
The Letter to the Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, decided to choose some men from the group and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose two men who were highly respected by the believers, Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, 23 and they sent the following letter by them:
“We, the apostles and the elders, your brothers, send greetings to all our brothers of Gentile birth who live in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. 24 We have heard that some who went from our group have troubled and upset you by what they said; they had not, however, received any instruction from us. 25 And so we have met together and have all agreed to choose some messengers and send them to you. They will go with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We send you, then, Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things we are writing. 28 The Holy Spirit and we have agreed not to put any other burden on you besides these necessary rules: 29 eat no food that has been offered to idols; eat no blood; eat no animal that has been strangled; and keep yourselves from sexual immorality. You will do well if you take care not to do these things. With our best wishes.”
30 The messengers were sent off and went to Antioch, where they gathered the whole group of believers and gave them the letter. 31 When the people read it, they were filled with joy by the message of encouragement. 32 Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, spoke a long time with them, giving them courage and strength. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off in peace by the believers and went back to those who had sent them.
35 Paul and Barnabas spent some time in Antioch, and together with many others they taught and preached the word of the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in every town where we preached the word of the Lord, and let us find out how they are getting along.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, 38 but Paul did not think it was right to take him, because he had not stayed with them to the end of their mission, but had turned back and left them in Pamphylia. 39 There was a sharp argument, and they separated: Barnabas took Mark and sailed off for Cyprus, 40 while Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the care of the Lord's grace. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
