1Some people came from Judea and started teaching the Lord's followers that they could not be saved, unless they were circumcised as Moses had taught.
My friends, you know that God decided long ago to let me be the one from your group to preach the good news to the Gentiles. God did this so that they would hear and obey him.
8He knows what is in everyone's heart. And he showed that he had chosen the Gentiles, when he gave them the Holy Spirit, just as he had given his Spirit to us. said:
My friends, listen to me!
14Simon Peter has told how God first came to the Gentiles and made some of them his own people.
15This agrees with what the prophets wrote,
16“I, the Lord, will return
and rebuild
David's fallen house.
I will build it from its ruins
and set it up again.
17Then other nations
will turn to me
and be my chosen ones.
I, the Lord, say this.
18I promised it long ago.”
19And so, my friends, I don't think we should place burdens on the Gentiles who are turning to God.
20We should simply write and tell them not to eat anything that has been offered to idols. They should be told not to eat the meat of any animal that has been strangled or that still has blood in it. They must also not commit any terrible sexual sins.
21We must remember that the Law of Moses has been preached in city after city for many years, and every Sabbath it is read when we Jews meet.
A letter to Gentiles who had faith in the Lord22The apostles, the leaders, and all the church members decided to send some men to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Silas and Judas Barsabbas, who were two leaders of the Lord's followers.
23They wrote a letter that said:
We apostles and leaders send friendly greetings to all you Gentiles who are followers of the Lord in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
24We have heard that some people from here have terribly upset you by what they said. But we did not send them!
25So we met together and decided to choose some men and to send them to you along with our good friends Barnabas and Paul.
26These men have risked their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ.
27We are also sending Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things that we are writing.
28The Holy Spirit has shown us that we should not place any extra burden on you.
29But you should not eat anything offered to idols. You should not eat any meat that still has the blood in it or any meat of any animal that has been strangled. You must also not commit any terrible sexual sins. If you follow these instructions, you will do well.
We send our best wishes.
30The four men left Jerusalem and went to Antioch. Then they called the church members together and gave them the letter.
31When the letter was read, everyone was pleased and greatly encouraged.
32Judas and Silas were prophets, and they spoke a long time, encouraging and helping the Lord's followers.
33The men from Jerusalem stayed on in Antioch for a while. And when they left to return to the ones who had sent them, the followers wished them well.
34-35But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached about the Lord.Paul's second journey to tell the good newsPaul and Barnabas go their separate ways
36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let's go back and visit the Lord's followers in the cities where we preached his message. Then we will know how they are doing.”
37Barnabas wanted to take along John, whose other name was Mark.
38But Paul did not want to, because Mark had left them in Pamphylia and had stopped working with them.
39Paul and Barnabas argued, then each of them went his own way. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus,
40but Paul took Silas and left after the followers had placed them in God's care.
41They travelled through Syria and Cilicia, encouraging the churches.
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