A Meeting of Church Leaders in Jerusalem

15 Some men came down from the country of Judea and started to teach the Christians. They said, “Unless you go through the religious act of becoming a Jew as Moses taught, you cannot be saved from the punishment of sin.” ² Paul and Barnabas argued with them. Then Paul and Barnabas and some other men were chosen to go up to Jerusalem. They were to talk to the missionaries and church leaders about this teaching. ³ The church sent them on their way. They went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria and told how those who were not Jews were turning to God. This made the Christians very happy.

⁴ When they got to Jerusalem, the church and the missionaries and the church leaders were glad to see them. Paul and Barnabas told them what God had done through them.

⁵ Some of the Christians there had been proud religious law-keepers. They got up and said, “Doing the religious act of becoming a Jew and keeping the Law of Moses are two things that must be done.” ⁶ The missionaries and church leaders got together to talk about this. ⁷ After a long time of much talking, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know in the early days God was pleased to use me to preach the Good News to the people who are not Jews so they might put their trust in Christ. ⁸ God knows the hearts of all men. He showed them they were to have His loving-favor by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as He gave to us. ⁹ He has made no difference between them and us. They had their hearts made clean when they put their trust in Him also. ¹⁰ Why do you test God by putting too heavy a load on the back of the followers? It was too heavy for our fathers or for us to carry. ¹¹ We believe it is by the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved. They are saved from the punishment of sin the same way.”

¹² All those who were gathered together said nothing. They listened to Paul and Barnabas who told of the powerful works God had done through them among the people who are not Jews.

God’s Call Is Also for the People Who Are Not Jews

¹³ When they finished speaking, James said, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon Peter has told how God first visited the people who are not Jews. He was getting a people for Himself. ¹⁵ This agrees with what the early preacher said, ¹⁶ ’After this I will come back and build again the building of David that fell down. Yes, I will build it again from the stones that fell down. I will set it up again. ¹⁷ Then all the nations may look for the Lord, even all the people who are not Jews who are called by My name. The Lord said this. He does all these things. ¹⁸ God has made all His works known from the beginning of time.’ ^(A)

The People Who Are Not Jews Are Not Under the Law

¹⁹ “So we should not trouble these people who are not Jews who are turning to God. ²⁰ We should write to them that they should keep away from everything that is given to gods. They should keep away from sex sins and not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law. ²¹ For the Law of Moses has been read in every city from the early days. It has been read in the Jewish places of worship on every Day of Rest.”

²² Then the missionaries and the church leaders and the whole church chose some men from among them. They were to be sent to the city of Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas. These men were leaders among the Christians.

²³ They sent them with this letter: “The missionaries and church leaders and Christians greet the brothers who are not Jews in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. ²⁴ We have heard that some from our group have troubled you and have put doubt in your minds. They said that you must go through the religious act of becoming a Jew and you must keep the Law of Moses. We did not tell them to say these things. ²⁵ All of us have wanted to send men to you with our much-loved Paul and Barnabas. ²⁶ Their lives have been in danger for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ So now we send Judas and Silas to you. They will tell you the same things. ²⁸ It pleased the Holy Spirit and us to ask you to do nothing more than these things that have to be done. ²⁹ You are to keep away from everything that is given to gods. Do not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law. Keep away from sex sins. If you keep yourselves free from these things you will do well. Good-by.”

The Missionaries Go Back to Antioch

³⁰ When the meeting was finished, they went to Antioch. As soon as they gathered the people together, they gave them the letter. ³¹ When they read it, they were glad for the comfort and strength it brought them. ³² Judas and Silas were preachers also. They preached to the Christians and helped them to become stronger in the faith.

³³ They were there for some time. Then they were sent back in peace to the missionaries who had sent them. ³⁴ But Silas thought he should stay there. ³⁵ Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. With the help of many others, they preached and taught the Word of God.

Paul Starts Out the Second Time

³⁶ After awhile, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the Christians in every city where we have preached the Word of God. Let us see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. ³⁸ Paul did not think it was good to take him because he had left them while they were in Pamphylia. He had not helped them in the work. ³⁹ They argued so much that they left each other. Barnabas took John Mark with him and went by ship to the island of Cyprus. ⁴⁰ Paul chose Silas. After the Christians asked for the Lord’s favor to be on Paul and Silas, they went on their way. ⁴¹ They went through Syria and Cilicia making the churches stronger in the faith.

Timothy Starts to Work with Paul

16 Paul went down to the cities of Derbe and Lystra. There was a follower there named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish Christian and his father was a Greek. ² The Christians in the city of Lystra and Iconium respected Timothy. ³ Paul wanted Timothy to go with him as a missionary. He took him and had Timothy go through the religious act of becoming a Jew because of the Jews who were in those places. Everyone knew his father was a Greek.

⁴ They went from city to city and told the Christians what the missionaries and the church leaders in Jerusalem had written for the Christians to do. ⁵ The churches were made stronger in the faith. More people were added each day.

Paul Is Called to Macedonia in a Dream

⁶ They went through the countries of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit kept them from preaching the Word of God in the countries of Asia. ⁷ When they came to the city of Mysia, they tried to go on to the city of Bithynia but the Holy Spirit would not let them go. ⁸ From Mysia they went down to the city of Troas.

⁹ That night Paul had a dream. A man was standing in front of him crying out, “Come over to the country of Macedonia and help us!” ¹⁰ After he had seen this, we agreed that God told us to go to Macedonia to tell them the Good News.

Lydia, the First Christian in Europe

¹¹ We took a ship from the city of Troas to the city of Samothracia. The next day we went to the city of Neapolis. ¹² From there we went to the city of Philippi. This was an important city in Macedonia. It was ruled by the leaders of the country of Rome. We stayed here for some days. ¹³ On the Day of Rest we went outside the city to a place down by the river. We thought people would be gathering there for prayer. Some women came and we sat down and talked to them. ¹⁴ One of the women who listened sold purple cloth. She was from the city of Thyatira. Her name was Lydia and she was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to hear what Paul said. ¹⁵ When she and her family had been baptized, she said to us, “If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.” She kept on asking. Then we went with her.

Paul Heals a Girl with a Demon

¹⁶ One day as we were going to the place to pray, we met a servant-girl who could tell what was going to happen in the future by a demon she had. Her owner made much money from her power. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us crying out, “These are servants of the Highest God. They are telling you how to be saved from the punishment of sin.” ¹⁸ She did this many days. Paul was troubled. Then he turned and said to the demon in her, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I speak to you. Come out of her!” At once it left her.

Paul and Silas in Jail

¹⁹ The girl’s owners saw that they could not make money with her anymore. Then they took hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them to the leaders. This happened in the center of town where people gather. ²⁰ After they brought them in front of the leaders, they said, “These men are Jews and are making a lot of trouble in our city. ²¹ They are teaching a religion that we Romans are not allowed to follow.”

²² Many people had gathered around Paul and Silas. They were calling out things against them. The leaders had the clothes of Paul and Silas taken off and had them beaten with sticks. ²³ After they had hit them many times, they put Paul and Silas in prison. The soldiers told the man who watched the prison to be sure to keep them from getting away. ²⁴ Because of this, they were put in the inside room of the prison and their feet were put in pieces of wood that held them.

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs of thanks to God. The other men in prison were listening to them. ²⁶ All at once the earth started to shake. The stones under the prison shook and the doors opened. The chains fell off from everyone.

²⁷ The man who watched the prison woke up. He saw the prison doors wide open and thought the men in prison had gotten away. At once he pulled out his sword to kill himself. ²⁸ But Paul called to him, “Do not hurt yourself. We are all here!” ²⁹ The man who watched the prison called for a light. Then he ran in and got down in front of Paul and Silas. He was shaking with fear. ³⁰ As he took them outside, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ They said, “Put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your family will be saved from the punishment of sin.”

³² Then Paul spoke the Word of God to him and his family. ³³ It was late at night, but the man who watched the prison took Paul and Silas in and washed the places on their bodies where they were hurt. Right then he and his family were baptized. ³⁴ He took Paul and Silas to his house and gave them food. He and all his family were full of joy for having put their trust in God.

Paul and Silas Are Allowed to Go Free

³⁵ When it was day, the leaders sent a soldier to say, “Let these men go free.” ³⁶ The man who watched the prison told this to Paul. He said, “The leaders have sent word to let you go free. Come out now and go without any trouble.”

³⁷ Paul said, “No! They have beaten us in front of many people without a trial. We are Roman citizens and they have put us in prison. Now do they think they can send us away without anyone knowing? No! They must come themselves and take us out.” ³⁸ The soldiers told this to the leaders. Then the leaders were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. ³⁹ They went themselves and told Paul and Silas they were sorry. Then they took them out and asked them to leave their city. ⁴⁰ Paul and Silas went to Lydia’s house after they left the prison. They met with the Christians and gave them comfort. Then they went away from the city.