[dut-da]Acts 15:1-20 Jerusalem Council
1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad.
4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question.
7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.
9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?
11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.
14 Simon* has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. / *Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter
15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16 “‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’* – / *Amos 9:11,12 (see Septuagint)
18 things known from long ago.* / *Some manuscripts things’ – 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago
19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
[dut-da, Shama]
For the people of Israel, circumcision was an important sign of the covenant with God. So, it’s understandable that some Jewish Christians in the early church thought Gentiles should also be circumcised. To talk about this issue, the apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem. During the meeting, Peter, Paul, and Barnabas shared how the Holy Spirit had worked among the Gentiles when they preached the gospel to them. James also spoke, quoting from Amos 9:11–12, to show that God’s plan of salvation includes not only Jews but also Gentiles.
In the end, the Jerusalem council decided not to put the heavy burden of the law on Gentile believers. They chose to protect the truth of the gospel while keeping unity in the church. The early church showed wisdom in how they discussed important matters and chose love and care over strict rules.
This reminds us that living by faith is not just about deciding what is right or wrong. It’s about walking with love, responsibility, and care for others.
Today, let’s lay down our own religious standards and fixed ideas. Instead, try to see people through the eyes of God’s love and mercy. Choose understanding over judgment, love over criticism, and live as a true witness of the gospel.
[Applications]
- What was the problem that caused arguments and conflict in the Antioch church? (Verse 1)
- When a problem happened in the church, how did the Jerusalem Council try to solve it? (Verses 2–4, Philippians 2:2–4)
- How was the argument about the Gentiles finally resolved? Why did they include a few rules? (1 Corinthians 8:9–13)
