Acts 15:22-41

New International Version

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

²²Then the apostles and elders,^(A) with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch^(B) with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas,^(C) men who were leaders among the believers. ²³With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch,^(D) Syria^(E) and Cilicia:^(F)

Greetings.^(G)

²⁴We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.^(H) ²⁵So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— ²⁶men who have risked their lives^(I) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas^(J) to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. ²⁸It seemed good to the Holy Spirit^(K) and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: ²⁹You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.^(L) You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

³⁰So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. ³¹The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. ³²Judas and Silas,^(M) who themselves were prophets,^(N) said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. ³³After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace^(O) to return to those who had sent them. ^[34]^[a] ³⁵But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached^(P) the word of the Lord.^(Q)

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

³⁶Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns^(R) where we preached the word of the Lord^(S) and see how they are doing.” ³⁷Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,^(T) with them, ³⁸but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them^(U) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰but Paul chose Silas^(V) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.^(W) ⁴¹He went through Syria^(X) and Cilicia,^(Y) strengthening the churches.^(Z)