Book of Common Prayer

Disagreement about circumcision. The apostles bring peace to the matter at Jerusalem, and Paul and Barnabas preach at Antioch.

15 Then certain men came from Judea and taught the brethren, Unless you are circumcised as observed by Moses, you cannot be saved. ² And when dissension arose, and Paul and Barnabas had set themselves hard against them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. ³ And after they were brought on their way by the congregation, they passed over Phoenicia and Samaria, telling about the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brethren.

⁴ And when they got to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the congregation, and by the apostles and elders. And they described what things God had done by them. ⁵ Then there rose up certain men of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying that it was necessary to circumcise the Gentiles, and to enjoin them to keep the law of Moses. ⁶ And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

⁷ And when there was much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, and gave to them the Holy Spirit, even as he did to us. ⁹ And he put no difference between them and us, but with faith purified their hearts. ¹⁰ Now therefore why do you tempt God, and put a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, as they do.

He delivers the possessed man from the unclean spirits, and the woman from the flow of blood, and raises the synagogue leader’s daughter.

5 And they went over to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. ² And when he got out of the boat, there met him out of the graves a man possessed by an unclean spirit, ³ who had his dwelling among the graves. And no man could bind him, no, not with chains. ⁴ For he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he pulled the chains apart and broke the shackles in pieces. Neither could anyone quiet him. ⁵ And always, both night and day, he wailed in the mountains and in the graves, and beat himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and knelt before him, ⁷ and cried out with a loud voice and said, What have I to do with you, Jesus Son of the most high God? I call on you in the name of God not to torment me. ⁸ For Jesus had said to him, Come out of the man, you foul spirit! ⁹ And Jesus asked him, What is your name? He answered, saying, My name is Legion, for we are many. ¹⁰ And he pressed Jesus urgently not to send them away out of the region.

¹¹ And there was there, near to the mountains, a great herd of swine feeding. ¹² All the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the herd of swine, so that we may enter into them. ¹³ And at once Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine. And the herd started, and ran headlong into the sea. There were about 2,000 swine, and they were drowned in the sea.

¹⁴ And the swineherds fled and told this in the town and in the country. And the people came out to see what had happened, ¹⁵ and came to Jesus. They saw the man who had been vexed with the fiend and had the legion sitting both clothed and in his right mind, and were afraid. ¹⁶ And those who had seen it told them what had happened to the man possessed with the devil, and also about the swine. ¹⁷ And they began to urge Jesus to depart from their shores.

¹⁸ And when he got into the boat, the man who had been possessed with the devil asked him if he could be with him. ¹⁹ However Jesus would not allow him, but said to him, Go home to your own house and to your friends, and show them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had compassion on you.

²⁰ And he departed and began to tell everywhere in the Ten Cities what great things Jesus had done for him. And all the people marvelled.