Modern Literal Version
[Acts 15]
{50 AD. Jerusalem. Caractacus of Britain conquered and sent to Rome.}
15:1 And some, came down from Judea, and were teaching the brethren, saying, If you* are not circumcised after the custom of Moses, you* are unable to be saved. 15:2 Therefore, after it happened, (not just a small dissension and debate by Paul and Barnabas with them), the brethren appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others out of them, to go-up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this debate.
15:3 Therefore indeed, having been sent onward by the congregation*, they were going through bothPhoenicia and Samaria, describing the turning to God of the Gentiles, and they were producing great joy in all the brethren. 15:4 Now after they came* to Jerusalem, they were accepted by the congregation*, and the apostles and the elders, and they reported how-much God did* with them. 15:5But there rose* up some from the sect of the Pharisees who have believed, saying, It is essential to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses. {Gal. 2:1}
15:6 Now the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see concerning this word {I.e. matter. Or speech.}. 15:7 Now after much debate had happened, Peter stood up, and said to them, Men, brethren, you* know that from the days of old among us, God chose through my mouth, that the Gentiles were to hear the word of the good-news and to believe it. 15:8 And God, the knower of hearts, testified of them, having given them the Holy Spirit, just-as he did also to us; 15:9 and he made no distinction between us and them in the faith, having cleansed their hearts.
15:10 Therefore now, why are you* testing God, that is to place a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we were strong-enough to bear? 15:11 But we believe that we will be saved through the favor of the Lord Jesus, according to what is in the same manner as theyare also.
15:12 Now all the multitude was silent, and they were hearing Barnabas and Paul describing how-much God did*, in signs and wonders, among the Gentiles through them.
15:13 Now after they were silent, James answered, saying, Men, brethren, hear* me. 15:14 Symeon described, just-as how God visited the nations first, to take out of them a people for his name. 15:15And the words of the prophets agree together with this; just-as it has been written, 15:16 'I will turn back after these things, and I will build the tabernacle of David again, which has fallen. And I will build what has been ruined again. And I will straighten it, 15:17*that the rest of men may seek out the Lord, and all the nations, upon whom my name has been called upon them, says the Lord, the one who is doing* all these things,' {Amos 9:11, 12}15:18 (known to God are all his works from the age{Or world}.)
15:19 Hence, I am deciding not to trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles;15:20 but to inform them by letter: to abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. 15:21 For* Moses has those who preach him in every city, from ancient generations, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.
15:22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole congregation*, to send chosen men from themselves together with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch, leading men among the brethren: Judas surnamed Barsabbas and Silas. {Gal. 2:13-15}
15:23 They wrote these things through their hand:
The apostles and the elders and brethren, to the brethren, those from the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Hail to you*!
15:24 Since we heard that some who went out from us have disturbed you* with words, upsetting your* souls; saying you*must be circumcised and to keep the law, to whom we ordered no such thing; 15:25 it seemed good to us, after we became united and had chosen men together with our beloved Barnabas and Paul and send them to you*, 15:26 men who have given up their lives on behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15:27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also be reporting to you* the same things through their speech. 15:28 For* it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to place no more burden upon you* other-than these necessary things: 15:29 that you* abstain from idol-sacrifices, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. Keeping yourselves away from these things; you* will be practicing well.
Good-bye.
{James' letter is written. The beginning of the New Testament letters. There is a very strong possibility the Book of Mark may have been written around this time too or even before and maybe the Book of Matthew, one Good-news account for a Roman audience, one for a Jewish audience.}
15:30 Therefore indeed, after they were dismissed, they came down to Antioch, and having gathered the multitude together, they gave them the letter. 15:31 Now having read it, they rejoiced upon the encouragement. 15:32 And Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brethren through much speech also further strengthened them. 15:33 Now having spent some time there, they were dismissed with peace from the brethren to the apostles. 15:34{T}But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.15:35 But Paul and Barnabas were staying in Antioch with many others also, teaching and proclaiming the good-news of the word of the Lord.
{Early in 51 to 53 AD. Antioch into Asia Minor & Europe. Paul's second missionary journey. Felix was made governor of Judea. Famine at Rome. Jews expelled from Rome.}
15:36 Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas, After we have returned, we should visit our brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord to see how they are holding up.15:37 Now Barnabas also planned to take together with them John, the one called Mark. 15:38 But Paul was not deeming it worthy to take Mark together with them, this one who withdrew away from them from Pamphylia and did not go together with them to the work. 15:39 Therefore it happened: a sharp-disagreement, so-then they departed from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him to sail away to Cyprus; 15:40 but Paul went forth, having chosen Silas, having been given to the favor of God by the brethren. 15:41 Now he was going through Syria and Cilicia, further strengthening the congregations*.
Modern Literal Version Preface & Appendix , copyright 1987, 1999, 2013 by G. Allen Walker for the MLV New Testament Committee.
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