Acts 15:22-41

Tree of Life Version

Letter to Diaspora Communities

²² Then it seemed good to the emissaries and elders, with the whole community, to choose men from among themselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judah (also called Barsabbas) and Silas, leading men among the brethren, ²³ and this letter along with them:

²⁴ Since we have heard that some from among us have troubled you with words disturbing to your souls,^[a] although we gave them no such authorization, ²⁵ it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul— ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. ²⁷ We therefore have sent to you Judah and Silas, who themselves will report to you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ It seemed good to the Ruach ha-Kodesh and to us not to place on you any greater burden than these essentials: ²⁹ that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. By keeping away from these things, you will do well.

Shalom!”

³⁰ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and when they had gathered the whole group together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ The people read it and rejoiced over its encouragement. ³² Judah and Silas, prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters with a long message and strengthened them.

³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off with shalom by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them. ^{34  [b] 35} But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord with many others.

New Teams Strengthen Communities

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in every city where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are.” ³⁷ Barnabas was planning to take along John, called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul was insisting that they shouldn’t take him along—the one who had deserted them in Pamphylia, not accompanying them in the work. ³⁹ A sharp disagreement took place, so that they split off from one another. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul selected Silas and went out, being entrusted by the brothers and sisters to the gracious care of the Lord. ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the communities.