The Meeting at Jerusalem
1 Some men came from Judea to Antioch and started teaching the believers, “You cannot be saved unless you are circumcised as the Law of Moses requires.” 2 Paul and Barnabas got into a fierce argument with them about this, so it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others in Antioch should go to Jerusalem and see the apostles and elders about this matter.
3 They were sent on their way by the church; and as they went through Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported how the Gentiles had turned to God; this news brought great joy to all the believers. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and the elders met together to consider this question. 7 After a long debate Peter stood up and said, “My friends, you know that a long time ago God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, so that they could hear and believe. 8 And God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us. 9 He made no difference between us and them; he forgave their sins because they believed. 10 So then, why do you now want to put God to the test by laying a load on the backs of the believers which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry? 11 No! We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”
12 The whole group was silent as they heard Barnabas and Paul report all the miracles and wonders that God had performed through them among the Gentiles. 13 When they had finished speaking, James spoke up: “Listen to me, my friends! 14 Simon has just explained how God first showed his care for the Gentiles by taking from among them a people to belong to him. 15 The words of the prophets agree completely with this. As the scripture says,
16 ‘After this I will return, says the Lord,
and restore the kingdom of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and make it strong again.
17 And so all the rest of the human race will come to me,
all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own.
18 So says the Lord, who made this known long ago.’
19 “It is my opinion,” James went on, “that we should not trouble the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write a letter telling them not to eat any food that is ritually unclean because it has been offered to idols; to keep themselves from sexual immorality; and not to eat any animal that has been strangled, or any blood. 21 For the Law of Moses has been read for a very long time in the synagogues every Sabbath, and his words are preached in every town.”
The Letter to the Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, decided to choose some men from the group and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose two men who were highly respected by the believers, Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, 23 and they sent the following letter by them:
“We, the apostles and the elders, your brothers, send greetings to all our brothers of Gentile birth who live in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. 24 We have heard that some who went from our group have troubled and upset you by what they said; they had not, however, received any instruction from us. 25 And so we have met together and have all agreed to choose some messengers and send them to you. They will go with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We send you, then, Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things we are writing. 28 The Holy Spirit and we have agreed not to put any other burden on you besides these necessary rules: 29 eat no food that has been offered to idols; eat no blood; eat no animal that has been strangled; and keep yourselves from sexual immorality. You will do well if you take care not to do these things. With our best wishes.”
30 The messengers were sent off and went to Antioch, where they gathered the whole group of believers and gave them the letter. 31 When the people read it, they were filled with joy by the message of encouragement. 32 Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, spoke a long time with them, giving them courage and strength. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off in peace by the believers and went back to those who had sent them.
35 Paul and Barnabas spent some time in Antioch, and together with many others they taught and preached the word of the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in every town where we preached the word of the Lord, and let us find out how they are getting along.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, 38 but Paul did not think it was right to take him, because he had not stayed with them to the end of their mission, but had turned back and left them in Pamphylia. 39 There was a sharp argument, and they separated: Barnabas took Mark and sailed off for Cyprus, 40 while Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the care of the Lord's grace. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Paulus Barnabas tava tumwa kuJerusalem
1 Ndele muJudea omwa dja vamwe ve uya oku, vo ova longa ovamwatate tava ti: “Ngeenge itamu piti etanda panghedi yaMoses, itamu dulu okuxupifwa.” 2 Hano eshi pwa holoka eenhamanana, Paulus naBarnabas va patafana navo, opa pangelwa omhangela nokutya, Paulus naBarnabas noovakwao vamwe vomokati kavo nava ye kovayapostoli nokovakulunhu kuJerusalem omolwepulo olo la twilwa eemhata.
3 Ndele vo ova findikilwa keongalo ndele va pitila muFoinikia nomuSamaria omo va hepaulula elidilululo lovapaani, nova hafifa ovamwatate. 4 Ndele eshi va fika muJerusalem, ova kundwa keongalo nokovayapostoli nokovakulunhu, nove va hepaululila oilonga aishe ya longwa kuKalunga, eshi a li pamwe navo. 5 Ndele vamwe vomoshimhanga shOvafarisai, ovo va li va ninga ovaitaveli, ova fikama ndele tava ti: “Vo ove nokupita etanda nokulombwelwa va diinine omhango yaMoses.”
Oshiongalele shovayapostoli muJerusalem
6 Ndele ovayapostoli novakulunhu ova ongala, va ka kundafane oshinima eshi. 7 Ndele eemhata eshi da ya pombada, Petrus okwa kala ofika ndele ta ti kuvo: “Ovalumenhu nye ovamwatate, nye omu shi shii, momafiku onale Kalunga a hoolola mokati ketu okanya kange, opo ovapaani va ude evaengeli, ndele va ninge ovaitaveli. 8 Ndele Kalunga omushiivi womitima, okwe va hepaulula nawa eshi e va pa Omhepo Iyapuki ngaashi nafye yo. 9 Ndele Ye ina ninga nande etongolo pokati ketu navo, eshi a yelifa omitima davo neitavelo. 10 Hano paife oshike tamu shindi Kalunga, eshi mwa hala okutwika keefingo dovalongwa ondjoko ya li ya nyenga ootate nafye yo noku i humbata. 11 Ndelenee twa itavela hatu ka xupifwa konghenda yOmwene Jesus, ngaashi venya yo.”
12 Ndele oshiongalele ashishe osha mwena ndele ova pwilikina Paulus naBarnabas, eshi va hepaulula omadidilikolonga noikumwifalonga opo i fike, Kalunga e i va longifa mokati kovapaani. 13 Ndele eshi va dimbuka okupopya, Jakob ta ti: “Ovalumenhu nye ovamwatate, pwilikinei nge. 14 Simeon okwa hepaulula Kalunga nhumbi a ninga eshi a hovela okulilikolelela edina laye mwene oshiwana movapaani. 15 Ndele eshi osha twa kumwe neendjovo dovaxunganeki, osheshi opa shangwa ngaha:
16 ‘Konima yaai Ame ohandi aluka vali,
ndele handi ka tungulula onduda yaDavid, ya teka po,
Ame ohandi i tungulula,
noikulukuma yayo ohandi i dikulula,
17 opo oixupe yovanhu va konge Omwene
novapaani aveshe venya va ifanenwa edina lange,
Omwene tuu ou ta ningi aishe ei, osho ta ti.
18 Kalunga okwa shiiva oilonga yaye aishe
okehovelo lomafimbo ounyuni.’ ”
19 Onghee hano omadiladilo ange oyaa: “Ava vomoupaani, ngeenge tava alukile kuKalunga, inava twikwa oudjuu, 20 ndele nava ka shangelwe okulidilika kutya, vo ove nokulidilika ei ya kwatafana nonyata yoikalunga nohole yoipala nombelela ya fya oshuunguungu nohonde. 21 Osheshi Moses e novaudifi vaye noshito nale omoilando aishe, ngaashi omishangwa daye tadi leshwa meeshinagoga omashabata aeshe.”
Etokolo lomhangela yovayapostoli
22 Ndele ovayapostoli novakulunhu pamwe neongalo alishe ova udafana okuhoolola mokati kavo ovalumenhu, ve va tume kuAntiokia pamwe naPaulus naBarnabas, ovo ava: Judas, ou a ifanwa yo Barsabas, naSilas, ovo ovalumenhu va fimana mokati kovamwatate. 23 Ndele ve va shangela omushangwa tau ti ngaha: “Ofye ovayapostoli novakulunhu, ovamwaxo, ohatu mu kundu, onye ovamwatate vomovapaani omuAntiokia nomuSiria nomuKilikia. 24 Ofye eshi twa uda vamwe vomufye va ya, nande inatu va lombwela, nove mu limbilika neendjovo davo nove mu twika oudjuu keemwenyo deni nokutya, mu nokupita etanda nokudiinina omhango. 25 Hano omadiladilo etu eshi a ya kumwe, otwa udafana okuhoolola mo ovalumenhu tu va tume kunye pamwe novaholike vetu Barnabas naPaulus; 26 ovava va yandjela edina lOmwene Jesus Kristus eemwenyo davo. 27 Hano osho ngaha twa tuma Judas naSilas, ovo tave mu shiivifile oinima ei nomakanya avo. 28 Osheshi omhangela yOmhepo Iyapuki noyetu yo oyo ei, muha twikwe nande omutengi umwe. Oyo tuu ei aike ihe shii okweefiwa: 29 Nye mu lidilike keshe eshi sha yambelwa oikalunga, nohonde nombelela ya fya oshuunguungu, nohole yoipala. Ngeenge tamu yepa ei, otamu ningi nawa. Kaleni nawa!”
Ovaantiokia otava hafele etokolo eli
30 Osho hano va lekelwa, va ya kuAntiokia, ndele tava shivi eongalo nove li pa onhumwafo ei. 31 Ndele ava eshi ve i lesha, ova hafela ehekeleko eli. 32 Ndele Judas naSilas, osheshi ovo vene yo va li ovaxunganeki, ova kumaida ovamwatate neendjovo dihapu, nove va twa ouladi. 33 Ndele eshi va ninga mo omafiku, ovamwatate ove va lekela nombili, va ka shune kovatumi vavo. 34 Ndele Silas okwa tokola okukala puvo. 35 Ndele Paulus naBarnabas ova kala muAntiokia pamwe navamwe vahapu, tava longo ndele tava udifa eendjovo devaengeli lOmwene.
Paulus ta hovele olweendo laye olutivali letumo
36 Ndele eshi pa pita omafiku, Paulus okwa lombwela Barnabas: “Tu yeni, tu shuneni koilando inya aishe, twa li twa udifila mo eendjovo dOmwene, tu ka tale ovamwatate nhumbi ve li.” 37 Opo nee Barnabas a hala okukufa Johannes, ou a lukwa Markus, va ye naye. 38 Ndelenee Paulus okwa diladila, inashi wapala okweenda pamwe naye, osheshi ye okwa li e ve liteeka muPamfilia nokwa anya okuya navo moshilonga. 39 Ndele ova handuka, ndele tava dukauka, Barnabas okwa kufa Markus nokwa yauka efuta ta i kuKipro. 40 Ndelenee Paulus okwa hoolola Silas. Ovamwatate eshi ve mu yandja monghenda yOmwene, okwa ya. 41 Ndele ye okwa pitila muSiria nomuKilikia nokwa pameka omaongalo.
