Acts 15:14-40

¹⁴Peter just told us about the first time God showed everyone that he loves those people that are not Jews, and that he picked some of them to be his own people.

¹⁵A long time ago God’s men told that same message. They wrote,

¹⁶‘God said, “I will come back later and I will fix up David’s family again. They are like a tent that broke and fell down. But I will fix them up and make them strong again.

¹⁷And some people from other countries will ask me for help. They are my people too. I am God. I promised to do that a long time ago, so I will do it.” ’ That’s in God’s book.”

¹⁹And James kept talking, he said, “Those people that are turning to God are not Jews, and I think we shouldn’t make it hard for them.

²⁰We have to write a letter to tell them not to worry about getting that young man’s operation. But we’ll tell them to follow these rules, – Don’t eat food that other people have given to sacred statues. – And don’t sleep with people that you are not married to, as if they are they are your wives or husbands. – And if somebody strangles an animal, don’t eat its meat. – And don’t eat blood.

²¹You see, every Saturday the Jews read the law of Moses aloud in their meeting houses, in all the towns where those people live. They have been doing that for a long time, and people that are not Jews have heard that law. So we have to tell them not to worry about getting that young man’s operation.”

²²Then all the Christians and their leaders picked 2 of their men. One was called Judas Barsabbas and the other was Silas. Those 2 men were Christian leaders in Jerusalem. The others told them, “You 2 go with Paul and Barnabas and take this news to the Christians in Antioch, in Syria country.”

²³And the church leaders wrote a letter for them to take with them. They wrote this, “This letter is from the close followers of Jesus, and the church leaders in Jerusalem. We are writing to you Christian people that are not Jews, that live in Antioch, and in Syria country and Cilicia country. You are like brothers and sisters to us. We hope you are all good and happy.

²⁴Listen, we heard that some men from here went to you and told you things that really upset you. But we didn’t send those men.

²⁵So we met together and picked some messengers, and we are sending them with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul.

²⁶You know, Barnabas and Paul work for our leader Jesus Christ and people tried to kill them for doing that.

²⁷We are sending Judas and Silas with them, and they will tell you the same things that we are writing in this letter.

²⁸The Holy Spirit told us that you don’t need to get that young man’s operation. That’s the way we think, too. So we are telling you to just follows these rules, –

²⁹If somebody gives food to a sacred statue, don’t you eat any of that food. – And don’t eat blood. – And if somebody strangles an animal, don’t eat its meat. – And don’t sleep with people that you are not married to, as if they are they are your wives or husbands. Make sure you don’t do those things, and you will be all right. That’s our message to you now. Goodbye.”

³⁰Then Judas and Silas went to Antioch, and they called all the Christians to come to a meeting, then they gave them the letter.

³¹Those Christians read that letter and they were very happy.

³²Judas and Silas were men that told God’s messages to people, and they talked a lot to those Christians, helping them to be happy and to believe strongly in Jesus.

³³After that Judas and Silas got up to go back to the church in Jerusalem. The Antioch Christians said to them, “We are happy for you to go back, and we pray you will have a good trip.”

³⁴But Paul and Barnabas stayed there in Antioch, and they taught the people and told them the message from God about Jesus. A lot of other Christians helped them to do that.

³⁶Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “You know all those towns we went to before, where we told the people the message from God about Jesus, well, let’s go back and find out if the Christians are all right.”

³⁷Barnabas said, “Yes. And let’s take John Mark with us.”

³⁸But Paul didn’t think that was a good idea. He said, “John Mark went with us before, but he didn’t stay with us. In Pamphylia country he left us and went home.”

³⁹Paul and Barnabas didn’t agree with each other about Mark, and they had a big argument. They got very upset with each other, so they each went a different way. Barnabas and John Mark got on a ship and went to the island called Cyprus.

⁴⁰But Paul picked Silas to go with him. The Antioch Christians asked God to look after Paul and Silas, then those 2 men left there and went through Syria and Cilicia countries. In every place Paul talked to the Christians and helped them to be strong for Jesus.