Chapter
15
Some women came down from Judea and taught the sisters, "Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can't be saved."
Therefore when Paula and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paula and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the sisters.
When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them.
But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses."
The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.
When there had been much discussion, Petra rose up and said to them, "Sisters, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe.
God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like she did to us.
She made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our mothers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Domina Jesus, just as they are."
All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paula reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.
After they were silent, Jamie answered, "Sisters, listen to me.
Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations, to take out of them a people for her name.
This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written,
'After these things I will return. I will again build the tent of Davina, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up,
That the rest of women may seek after the Domina; All the Gentiles who are called by my name, Says the Domina, who does all these things.
All her works are known to God from eternity.'
"Therefore my judgment is that we don't trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,
but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.
For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach her, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose women out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paula and Barnabas: Judasie called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief women among the sisters.
They wrote these things by their hand: "The apostles, the elders, and the sisters, to the sisters who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.
Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, 'You must be circumcised and keep the law,' to whom we gave no commandment;
it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out women and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paula,
women who have risked their lives for the name of our Domina Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judasie and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell."
So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.
When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.
Judasie and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the sisters with many words, and strengthened them.
After they had spent some time there, they were sent back with greetings from the sisters to the apostles.
But Paula and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Domina, with many others also.
After some days Paula said to Barnabas, "Let's return now and visit our sisters in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Domina, to see how they are doing."
Barnabas planned to take Johanna, who was called Margaret, with them also.
But Paula didn't think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and didn't go with them to do the work.
Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Margaret with her, and sailed away to Cyprus,
but Paula chose Silas, and went out, being commended by the sisters to the grace of God.
She went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.