and they sent this letterby them, "The apostlesand the brethrenwho are elders,to the brethrenin Antiochand Syriaand Ciliciawhoare from the Gentiles,greetings.
"ClaudiusLysias,to the most excellentgovernorFelix,greetings.
James,a bond-servantof Godand of the LordJesusChrist,To the twelvetribeswhoare dispersedabroad: Greetings.
ThenI wentinto the regionsof Syriaand Cilicia.
Thenit seemed goodto the apostlesand the elders,with the wholechurch,to choosemenfrom amongthem to sendto Antiochwith Pauland Barnabas--JudascalledBarsabbas,and Silas,leadingmenamongthe brethren,
but I hopeto seeyou shortly,and we will speakfaceto face.[15]Peace[be] to you. The friendsgreetyou. Greetthe friendsby name.
The childrenof your chosensistergreetyou.
Ifanyonecomesto you and does not bringthisteaching,do not receivehim into [your] house,and do not givehim a greeting;
Grace,mercy[and] peacewill be with us, from Godthe Fatherand from JesusChrist,the Sonof the Father,in truthand love.
And he was traveling throughSyriaand Cilicia,strengtheningthe churches.
When they arrivedat Jerusalem,they were receivedby the churchand the apostlesand the elders,and they reportedallthat Godhad donewith them.
Some mencame downfrom Judeaand [began] teachingthe brethren,"Unlessyou are circumcisedaccording to the customof Moses,you cannotbe saved."
When they had arrivedand gatheredthe churchtogether,they [began] to reportall thingsthat Godhad donewith them and howHe had openeda doorof faithto the Gentiles.
"But concerningthe Gentileswho have believed,we wrote,having decidedthat they should abstainfrom meatsacrificed to idolsand from bloodand from what is strangledand from fornication."
When we came in sightof Cyprus,leavingit on the left,we kept sailingto Syriaand landedat Tyre;for therethe shipwas to unloadits cargo.
Paul,having remainedmanydayslonger,took leaveof the brethrenand put out to seafor Syria,and with him were Priscillaand Aquila.In Cenchreahe had his haircut,for he was keepinga vow.
When they heardthis,they quieted downand glorifiedGod,saying,"Well then,Godhas grantedto the Gentilesalsothe repentance[that leads] to life."
The newsabout Him spreadthroughoutallSyria;and they broughtto Him allwho were ill,those sufferingwith variousdiseasesand pains,demoniacs,epileptics,paralytics;and He healedthem.
But some menfrom what was calledthe Synagogueof the Freedmen,[including] bothCyreniansand Alexandrians,and somefrom Ciliciaand Asia,roseup and arguedwith Stephen.
But there were someof them, menof Cyprusand Cyrene,whocameto Antiochand [began] speakingto the Greeksalso,preachingthe LordJesus.
And when Pauland Barnabashadgreatdissensionand debatewith them, [the brethren] determinedthat Pauland Barnabasand someothersof them should goup to Jerusalemto the apostlesand eldersconcerningthisissue.
