And certain men came down from Judæa and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.
And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.
And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them,
Brethren, ye know that {Greek: from early days.}a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the {Or, good tidings}gospel, and believe.
And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.
And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying,
Brethren, hearken unto me:
Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
{Amos 9:11, 12.}After these things I will return,
And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen;
And I will build again the ruins thereof,
And I will set it up:
That the residue of men may seek after the Lord,
And all the {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
Saith the Lord, {Or, who doeth these things which were known & c.}who maketh these things known from of old.
Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God;
but that we {Or, enjoin them}write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
and they wrote thus by them, {Or, The apostles and the elder brethren}The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:
Forasmuch as we have heard that certain {Some ancient authorities omit who went out.}who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment;
it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.
So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.
And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the {Or, exhortation}consolation.
And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, {Or, comforted}exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth. {Some ancient authorities insert with variations, verse 34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there.}
- - -
But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare.
And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark.
But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus;
but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
Querverweise zu Apostelgeschichte 15,1 Apg 15,1
And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many {Greek: myriads.}thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law:
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.
And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt me and you.
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner that is not of thy seed.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
And God said unto Abraham, as for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but {That is, Princess.}Sarah shall her name be.
And I will bless her, and moreover I will give thee a son of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be of her.
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee!
And God said, Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son; and thou shalt call his name {From the Hebrew word meaning to laugh.}Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
And all the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Forasmuch as we have heard that certain {Some ancient authorities omit who went out.}who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment;
{Or, but it was because of}and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin.
Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness.
How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision:
and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them;
and the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision.
And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
Was any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.
For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Ye are {Greek: brought to nought. Compare Romans 7:2, 6 (in the Greek).}severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.
Moses hath given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers); and on the sabbath ye circumcise a man.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God.
And the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation.
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:
Then after the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.
for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:
But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
{Or, See whether}Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith {Or, wrought}working through love.
in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;
For not even they who {Some ancient authorities read have been circumcised.}receive circumcision do themselves keep the law; but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through {Or, whom}which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new {Or, creation}creature.
And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day: