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 <<  Kisah Para Rasul 15 >> 

1It wasn't long before some Jews showed up from Judea insisting that everyone be circumcised: "If you're not circumcised in the Mosaic fashion, you can't be saved."

2Paul and Barnabas were up on their feet at once in fierce protest. The church decided to resolve the matter by sending Paul, Barnabas, and a few others to put it before the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem.

3After they were sent off and on their way, they told everyone they met as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria about the breakthrough to the Gentile outsiders. Everyone who heard the news cheered--it was terrific news!

4When they got to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas were graciously received by the whole church, including the apostles and leaders. They reported on their recent journey and how God had used them to open things up to the outsiders.

5Some Pharisees stood up to say their piece. They had become believers, but continued to hold to the hard party line of the Pharisees. "You have to circumcise the pagan converts," they said. "You must make them keep the Law of Moses."

6The apostles and leaders called a special meeting to consider the matter.

7The arguments went on and on, back and forth, getting more and more heated. Then Peter took the floor: "Friends, you well know that from early on God made it quite plain that he wanted the pagans to hear the Message of this good news and embrace it--and not in any secondhand or roundabout way, but firsthand, straight from my mouth.

8And God, who can't be fooled by any pretense on our part but always knows a person's thoughts, gave them the Holy Spirit exactly as he gave him to us.

9He treated the outsiders exactly as he treated us, beginning at the very center of who they were and working from that center outward, cleaning up their lives as they trusted and believed him.

10"So why are you now trying to out-god God, loading these new believers down with rules that crushed our ancestors and crushed us, too?

11Don't we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?"

12There was dead silence. No one said a word. With the room quiet, Barnabas and Paul reported matter-of-factly on the miracles and wonders God had done among the other nations through their ministry.

13The silence deepened; you could hear a pin drop. James broke the silence. "Friends, listen.

14Simeon has told us the story of how God at the very outset made sure that racial outsiders were included.

15This is in perfect agreement with the words of the prophets:

16After this, I'm coming back; I'll rebuild David's ruined house; I'll put all the pieces together again; I'll make it look like new

17So outsiders who seek will find, so they'll have a place to come to, All the pagan peoples included in what I'm doing. "God said it and now he's doing it.

18It's no afterthought; he's always known he would do this.

19"So here is my decision: We're not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master.

20We'll write them a letter and tell them, 'Be careful to not get involved in activities connected with idols, to guard the morality of sex and marriage, to not serve food offensive to Jewish Christians--blood, for instance.'

21This is basic wisdom from Moses, preached and honored for centuries now in city after city as we have met and kept the Sabbath."

22Everyone agreed: apostles, leaders, all the people. They picked Judas (nicknamed Barsabbas) and Silas--they both carried considerable weight in the church--and sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas

23with this letter: From the apostles and leaders, your friends, to our friends in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Hello!

24We heard that some men from our church went to you and said things that confused and upset you. Mind you, they had no authority from us; we didn't send them.

25We have agreed unanimously to pick representatives and send them to you with our good friends Barnabas and Paul.

26We picked men we knew you could trust, Judas and Silas--they've looked death in the face time and again for the sake of our Master Jesus Christ.

27We've sent them to confirm in a face-to-face meeting with you what we've written.

28It seemed to the Holy Spirit and to us that you should not be saddled with any crushing burden, but be responsible only for these bare necessities:

29Be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians (blood, for instance); and guard the morality of sex and marriage. These guidelines are sufficient to keep relations congenial between us. And God be with you!

30And so off they went to Antioch. On arrival, they gathered the church and read the letter.

31The people were greatly relieved and pleased.

32Judas and Silas, good preachers both of them, strengthened their new friends with many words of courage and hope.

33Then it was time to go home. They were sent off by their new friends with laughter and embraces all around to report back to those who had sent them.

35Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of God. But they weren't alone. There were a number of teachers and preachers at that time in Antioch.

36After a few days of this, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's go back and visit all our friends in each of the towns where we preached the Word of God. Let's see how they're doing."

37Barnabas wanted to take John along, the John nicknamed Mark.

38But Paul wouldn't have him; he wasn't about to take along a quitter who, as soon as the going got tough, had jumped ship on them in Pamphylia.

39Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways: Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus;

40Paul chose Silas and, offered up by their friends to the grace of the Master,

41went to Syria and Cilicia to build up muscle and sinew in those congregations.



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