Certain individuals from Judea taught that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved, causing an uprising among Paul and Barnabas. The matter was taken to the Apostles and elders in Jerusalem, where Peter argued that God had chosen Gentiles to hear the Gospel and purified their hearts by faith, just as He did for the Jews. James agreed, citing the Prophets, and the council decided that Gentiles should not be disturbed but rather instructed to abstain from idolatry, fornication, and certain foods. The decision was written in a letter and sent to Antioch with Judas and Silas, who reaffirmed the message and consoled the brothers.
1 And certain ones, descending from Judea, were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. 2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas made no small uprising against them, they decided that Paul and Barnabas, and some from the opposing side, should go up to the Apostles and priests in Jerusalem concerning this question 3 Therefore, being led by the church, they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles. And they caused great joy among all the brothers 4 And when they had arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the Apostles and the elders, reporting what great things God had done with them 5 But some from the sect of the Pharisees, those who were believers, rose up saying, "It is necessary for them to be circumcised and to be instructed to keep the Law of Moses. 6 And the Apostles and elders came together to take care of this matter 7 And after a great contention had taken place, Peter rose up and said to them: "Noble brothers, you know that, in recent days, God has chosen from among us, by my mouth, Gentiles to hear the word of the Gospel and to believe 8 And God, who knows hearts, offered testimony, by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as to us 9 And he distinguished nothing between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith 10 Now therefore, why do you tempt God to impose a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear 11 But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in order to be saved, in the same manner also as them. 12 Then the entire multitude was silent. And they were listening to Barnabas and Paul, describing what great signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them 13 And after they had been silent, James responded by saying: "Noble brothers, listen to me 14 Simon has explained in what manner God first visited, so as to take from the Gentiles a people to his name 15 And the words of the Prophets are in agreement with this, just as it was written 16 ‘After these things, I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. And I will rebuild its ruins, and I will raise it up 17 so that the rest of men may seek the Lord, along with all the nations over whom my name has been invoked, says the Lord, who does these things. 18 To the Lord, his own work has been known from eternity 19 Because of this, I judge that those who were converted to God from among the Gentiles are not to be disturbed 20 but instead that we write to them, that they should keep themselves from the defilement of idols, and from fornication, and from whatever has been suffocated, and from blood 21 For Moses, from ancient times, has had in each city those who preach him in the synagogues, where he is read on every Sabbath. 22 Then it pleased the Apostles and elders, with the whole Church, to choose men from among them, and to send to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, and Judas, who was surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas, preeminent men among the brothers 23 what was written by their own hands: "The Apostles and elders, brothers, to those who are at Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, brothers from the Gentiles, greetings 24 Since we have heard that some, going out from among us, have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no commandment 25 it pleased us, being assembled as one, to choose men and to send them to you, with our most beloved Barnabas and Paul 26 men who have handed over their lives on behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 27 Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also will, with the spoken word, reaffirm to you the same things 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose no further burden upon you, other than these necessary things 29 that you abstain from things immolated to idols, and from blood, and from what has been suffocated, and from fornication. You will do well to keep yourselves from these things. Farewell. 30 And so, having been dismissed, they went down to Antioch. And gathering the multitude together, they delivered the epistle 31 And when they had read it, they were gladdened by this consolation 32 But Judas and Silas, being also prophets themselves, consoled the brothers with many words, and they were strengthened 33 Then, after spending some more time there, they were dismissed with peace, by the brothers, to those who had sent them 34 But it seemed good to Silas to remain there. So Judas alone departed to Jerusalem 35 And Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, with many others, teaching and evangelizing the Word of the Lord 36 Then, after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return to visit the brothers throughout all the cities in which we have preached the Word of the Lord, to see how they are. 37 And Barnabas wanted to take John, who was surnamed Mark, with them also 38 But Paul was saying that he ought not to be received, since he withdrew from them at Pamphylia, and he had not gone with them in the work 39 And there occurred a dissension, to such an extent that they departed from one another. And Barnabas, indeed taking Mark, sailed to Cyprus 40 Yet truly, Paul, choosing Silas, set out, being delivered by the brothers to the grace of God 41 And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches, instructing them to keep the precepts of the Apostles and the elders