1Alcuni, venuti dalla Giudea, insegnavano ai fratelli, dicendo: «Se voi non siete circoncisi secondo il rito di Mosè, non potete essere salvati».2E siccome Paolo e Barnaba dissentivano e discutevano vivacemente con loro, fu deciso che Paolo, Barnaba e alcuni altri fratelli salissero a Gerusalemme dagli apostoli e anziani per trattare la questione.3Essi dunque, accompagnati per un tratto dalla chiesa, attraversarono la Fenicia e la Samaria, raccontando la conversione degli stranieri e suscitando grande gioia in tutti i fratelli.4Poi, giunti a Gerusalemme, furono accolti dalla chiesa, dagli apostoli e dagli anziani e riferirono le grandi cose che Dio aveva fatte per mezzo di loro.5Ma alcuni della setta dei farisei, che erano diventati credenti, si alzarono dicendo: «Bisogna circonciderli e comandare loro di osservare la legge di Mosè».6Allora gli apostoli e gli anziani si riunirono per esaminare la questione.7Ed essendone nata una vivace discussione, Pietro si alzò in piedi e disse: «Fratelli, voi sapete che dall’inizio Dio scelse tra voi me, affinché dalla mia bocca gli stranieri udissero la Parola del vangelo e credessero.8E Dio, che conosce i cuori, rese testimonianza in loro favore, dando lo Spirito Santo a loro, come a noi;9e non fece alcuna discriminazione fra noi e loro, purificando i loro cuori mediante la fede.10Or dunque perché tentate Dio mettendo sul collo dei discepoli un giogo che né i padri nostri né noi siamo stati in grado di portare?11Ma noi crediamo che siamo salvati mediante la grazia del Signore Gesù allo stesso modo di loro».12Tutta l’assemblea tacque e stava ad ascoltare Barnaba e Paolo, che raccontavano quali segni e prodigi Dio aveva fatti per mezzo di loro tra i pagani.13Quando ebbero finito di parlare, Giacomo prese la parola e disse:14«Fratelli, ascoltatemi: Simone ha riferito come Dio all’inizio ha voluto scegliersi tra gli stranieri un popolo consacrato al suo nome.15E con ciò si accordano le parole dei profeti, come sta scritto:16“Dopo queste cose ritornerò e ricostruirò la tenda di Davide, che è caduta; e restaurerò le sue rovine e la rimetterò in piedi,17affinché il rimanente degli uomini e tutte le nazioni, su cui è invocato il mio nome, cerchino il Signore, dice il Signore che fa queste cose,18a lui note fin dall’eternità”[1].19Perciò io ritengo che non si debba turbare gli stranieri che si convertono a Dio;20ma che si scriva loro di astenersi dalle cose contaminate nei sacrifici agli idoli, dalla fornicazione, dagli animali soffocati e dal sangue.21Perché Mosè fin dalle antiche generazioni ha in ogni città chi lo predica nelle sinagoghe, dove viene letto ogni sabato».22Allora parve bene agli apostoli e agli anziani con tutta la chiesa, di scegliere tra di loro alcuni uomini da mandare ad Antiochia con Paolo e Barnaba: Giuda, detto Barsabba, e Sila, uomini autorevoli tra i fratelli.23E consegnarono loro questa lettera: «Gli apostoli e i fratelli anziani, ai fratelli di Antiochia, di Siria e di Cilicia che provengono dal paganesimo, salute.24Abbiamo saputo che alcuni fra noi, partiti senza nessun mandato da parte nostra, vi hanno turbato con i loro discorsi, sconvolgendo le anime vostre.25È parso bene a noi, riuniti di comune accordo, di scegliere degli uomini e di mandarveli insieme ai nostri cari Barnaba e Paolo,26i quali hanno messo a repentaglio la propria vita per il nome del Signore nostro Gesù Cristo.27Vi abbiamo dunque inviato Giuda e Sila; anch’essi vi riferiranno a voce le medesime cose.28Infatti è parso bene allo Spirito Santo e a noi di non imporvi altro peso all’infuori di queste cose, che sono necessarie:29astenervi dalle carni sacrificate agli idoli, dal sangue, dagli animali soffocati e dalla fornicazione; da queste cose farete bene a guardarvi. State sani».
Giuda e Sila inviati ad Antiochia
30Essi dunque presero commiato e scesero ad Antiochia, dove, radunata la moltitudine dei credenti, consegnarono la lettera.31Quando i fratelli l’ebbero letta, si rallegrarono della consolazione che essa portava loro.32Giuda e Sila, anch’essi profeti, con molte parole li esortarono e li fortificarono.33Dopo essersi trattenuti là diverso tempo, i fratelli li lasciarono ritornare in pace a coloro che li avevano inviati.34[Ma parve bene a Sila di rimanere qui.]35Paolo e Barnaba rimasero ad Antiochia, insegnando e portando, insieme a molti altri, il lieto messaggio della Parola del Signore.
Secondo viaggio missionario Partenza di Paolo e Sila; Barnaba e Marco si recano a Cipro
36Dopo diversi giorni Paolo disse a Barnaba: «Ritorniamo ora a visitare i fratelli di tutte le città in cui abbiamo annunciato la Parola del Signore, per vedere come stanno».37Barnaba voleva prendere con loro anche Giovanni detto Marco.38Ma Paolo riteneva che non dovessero prendere uno che si era separato da loro già in Panfilia e che non li aveva accompagnati nella loro opera.39Nacque un aspro dissenso, al punto che si separarono; Barnaba prese con sé Marco e s’imbarcò per Cipro.40Paolo, invece, scelse Sila e partì, raccomandato dai fratelli alla grazia del Signore.41E percorse la Siria e la Cilicia, rafforzando le chiese.
Atti 15
English Standard Version
The Jerusalem Council
1But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Le 12,3; Giov 21,23; At 6,14; At 15,3; At 15,5; At 15,22; At 15,24; At 15,36; At 15,40; 1Co 7,18; Ga 2,11; Ga 2,14; Ga 5,2)2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. (At 5,12; At 11,30; At 15,4; At 15,6; At 15,7; At 15,22; At 16,4; Ga 2,1)3So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.[1] (At 11,18; At 14,27; At 15,1; At 17,15; At 21,5; Ro 15,24; 1Co 16,6; 1Co 16,11; 2Co 1,16; Tit 3,13; 3G 1,6)4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. (At 15,2; At 15,3; At 21,17)5But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” (At 15,1; At 24,5; Ga 5,3)6The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. (At 15,4; At 15,12; At 15,25)7And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. (At 10,20; At 15,2; At 20,24; Ef 1,13; Col 1,5; 1Te 1,5)8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, (At 1,24; At 10,44; At 10,47; At 11,15; At 11,17; At 14,3; At 15,28; Ga 3,2)9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. (Sal 51,10; At 10,28; At 10,34; At 10,43; At 11,12; At 26,18; Ro 3,22; 2Co 7,1; Ef 3,6; 1P 1,22)10Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? (Sal 106,14; Is 7,12; Mat 11,28; Mat 23,4; Lu 11,46; At 15,28; Ga 5,1)11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (At 15,9; At 16,31; Ro 3,24; Ro 5,15; Ef 2,5; Ef 2,8; 1Te 5,9; 2Ti 1,9; Tit 2,11; Tit 3,7)12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. (At 14,27; At 15,4)13After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. (At 12,17)14Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. (De 7,6; Is 43,21; At 15,7; At 18,10; Ro 9,24)15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,16“‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, (Ger 12,15; Am 9,11)17that the remnant[2] of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things (Is 43,7; Ger 14,9; Da 9,19; At 17,27)18known from of old.’ (Is 45,21)19Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, (At 14,15; At 15,28)20but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. (Le 3,17; Ez 4,13; Da 1,8; Mal 1,7; Mal 1,12; At 15,29; At 21,25; 1Co 6,18; 1Co 10,7; Ap 2,14; Ap 2,20)21For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” (At 13,15; At 13,27; 2Co 3,14)
The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers
22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, (At 1,23; At 15,1; At 15,2; 1P 5,12)23with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers[3] who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. (At 15,22; At 23,26; Giac 1,1; 2G 1,10)24Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you[4] with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, (At 15,1; Ga 1,7; Ga 2,4; Ga 5,10; Ga 5,12; Tit 1,10)25it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, (At 1,14; 2P 3,15)26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (At 9,23; At 14,19; At 20,24; At 21,13; 2Co 4,11; 1G 3,16)27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. (At 15,22; At 15,32)28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: (Giov 16,13; At 5,32; At 15,8; At 15,10; At 15,19; 1Co 7,40; Ap 2,24)29that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” (At 15,20; At 21,25; 1Co 8,1; 1Co 8,4; 1Co 8,7; 1Co 8,10; 1Co 10,19; Ap 2,14; Ap 2,20)30So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.31And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.32And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. (At 13,1; At 14,22; At 15,1)33And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.[5] (Gen 26,29; At 15,32; 1Co 16,11; Eb 11,31)35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. (At 13,1)
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” (At 13,4; At 13,13; At 13,51; At 14,6; At 14,24; At 15,32)37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. (At 12,12)38But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. (At 13,13)39And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, (At 17,16; Col 4,10)40but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. (At 11,23; At 14,26; At 15,1; At 15,11; Ro 16,20)41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (At 15,32; At 16,5)