XPost: alt.christnet, alt.messianic, alt.religion.christian.biblestudy   
   XPost: alt.religion.christian   
   From: doctor@doctor.nl2k.ab.ca   
      
   Day 319, 15 November 2025   
      
   1) Acts 15, Acts 16   
      
   Acts 15   
      
   The Council in Jerusalem   
      
   1 (Ac 15:5; 15:24) Some men came down from Judea and were teaching   
   the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised in the tradition of Moses,   
   you cannot be saved."   
   2 (Ac 15:22-23; 15:4; 15:6-7) Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had   
   no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul   
   and Barnabas, and certain others among them, should go up to Jerusalem   
   to the apostles and elders about this question.   
   3 (Ac 14:27; 21:5) So being sent on their way by the church,   
   they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion   
   of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers.   
   4 (Ac 14:27; 15:12) When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed   
   by the church and the apostles and the elders,   
   and they declared what God had done through them.   
   5 (Ac 15:1) Then some believers of the sect of the Pharisees rose up, saying,   
   "It is necessary to circumcise them,   
   and to command them to keep the Law of Moses."   
   6 (Ac 15:25) The apostles and elders assembled to consider this matter.   
   7 (Ac 15:2; 10:20) After much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them,   
   "Brothers, you know that some time ago God decided among us,   
   that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.   
   8 (Ac 1:24; 2:4) God, who knows the heart, approved of them, giving them   
   the Holy Spirit just as He did to us,   
   9 (Ac 10:28; 10:34) and made no distinction between them and us,   
   and purified their hearts by faith.   
   10 (Mt 23:4; Gal 5:1) Now then, why test God by putting a yoke upon   
   the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been   
   able to bear?   
   11 (Ro 3:24; 2Co 13:14) But we believe that through the grace   
   of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."   
   12 (Ac 14:27; 15:4) The entire assembly remained silent   
   and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring what signs   
   and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.   
   13 (Ac 12:17) After they had become silent, James answered,   
   "Brothers, listen to me.   
   14 (Isa 43:21; 2Pe 1:1) Simon has declared how God first visited   
   the Gentiles to take from among them a people for His name.   
   15 With this the words of the prophets agree. As it is written:   
   16 (Am 9:11-12) 'After this I will return,   
   and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen;   
   I will rebuild its ruins,   
   and I will set it up;(Am 9:11; Jer 12:15.)   
   17 (Isa 43:7) that the rest of men may seek the Lord,   
   and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,   
   (Am 9:12; Dt 28:10; Isa 63:19; Jer 14:9; Da 9:19.)   
   says the Lord who does all these things.' (Am 9:11-12.)   
   18 Known to God are all His works since the beginning of the world.   
   19 (Ac 15:28) "Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble   
   those of the Gentiles who are turning to God,   
   20 (Lev 3:17; Ac 15:29; Ge 9:4) but that we write to them to abstain   
   from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals,   
   and from blood.   
   21 (Ac 13:15; 13:27) For Moses has had in every city since early generations   
   those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."   
      
   [1] And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and   
   said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be   
   saved.   
   [2] When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation   
   with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of   
   them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this   
   question.   
   [3] And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through   
   Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they   
   caused great joy unto all the brethren.   
   [4] And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church,   
   and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had   
   done with them.   
   [5] But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed,   
   saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep   
   the law of Moses.   
   [6] And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.   
   [7] And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto   
   them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice   
   among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel,   
   and believe.   
   [8] And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the   
   Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;   
   [9] And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by   
   faith.   
   [10] Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the   
   disciples, which 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, even as they.   
   [12] Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and   
   Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles   
   by them.   
   [13] And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and   
   brethren, hearken unto me:   
   [14] Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to   
   take out of them a people for his name.   
   [15] And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,   
   [16] After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David,   
   which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will   
   set it up:   
   [17] That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles,   
   upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.   
   [18] Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.   
   [19] Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among   
   the Gentiles are turned to God:   
   [20] But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of   
   idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.   
   [21] For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being   
   read in the synagogues every sabbath day.   
      
   The Reply of the Council   
      
   22 (Ac 15:27; 15:32; 15:40) Then it pleased the apostles and the elders,   
   with the whole church, to send chosen men from among them to Antioch   
   with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas called Bar­sabas, and Silas,   
   leading men among the brothers.   
   23 (Ac 23:26; Jas 1:1) They wrote this letter by their hand:   
   The apostles and the elders and the brothers,   
   To the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:   
   Greetings.   
   24 (Ac 15:1; Gal 1:7) Since we have heard that some of us,   
   whom we did not commission, have gone out and have troubled you with words,   
   unsettling your minds, saying, "You must be circumcised and keep the law,"   
   25 (Ac 1:14; 2Pe 3:15) it seemed good to us, being assembled in unity,   
   to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)