Ombongarero mOjerusalem
1 Ovandu tjiva va zire kehi ra Judea ave ya kOantiokie, nu ave utu okuhonga ovakambure ave tja: “Eṋe tjinangara kamu nakusukarekwa otja kOmatwako wa Moses, kamu nokuyenena okuhupisiwa komuinyo.” 2 Paulus na Barnabas va patasana otjiṋa hi tjinene kuna ovandu mba, notji pa tyewa kutja Paulus na Barnabas novakambure ovakwao tjiva mOantiokie ve yende kOjerusalem okutwara ombata ndji kovaapostele novatarere wombongo.
3 Nowo tji va za nokuhindwa i ombongo mouyenda wawo arire tji va tuurunga ehi ra Fenisie nora Samaria amave yende amave serekarere kutja imba mbe he ri Ovajuda va tanaukira ku Ndjambi. Ombuze ndji ya yorokisa ovakambure avehe tjinene. 4 Nu tji ve ya mOjerusalem ave yakurwa nawa i ombongo novaapostele novatarere. Nowo arire tji ve ve serekarerere avihe Ndjambi mbya tjitire na wo. 5 Nungwari ovakambure tjiva mba ri ouṋepo wotjira tjOvafarisei va sekama ave tja: “Imba mbe he ri Ovajuda nu mba tanauka mave sokusukarekwa nokuraerwa kutja ve ṱakamise Omatwako wa Moses.”
6 Ovaapostele novatarere va worongana okuhungirira otjiṋa hi. 7 Nu tji va za nokupatasana orure, Petrus arire tja sekama a tja: “Vakwetu, mamu tjiwa kutja omayuva omengi nga kapita Ndjambi we ndji toorora mokati keṋu okuzuvarisa Ombuze Ombwa ku imba mbe he ri Ovajuda wina, kokutja owo ve zuve nu ve kambure. 8 Ndjambi ngu tjiwa omeripura wovandu avehe wa yakura imba mbe he ri Ovajuda, indu tje ve pa Ombepo Ondjapuke otja tjinga e i yandja ku eṱe. 9 Eye ka twire po ombangu pokati ketu na wo; we ve isira ourunde wawo tjinga ava ri nongamburiro. 10 Nambano okutjavi tji mamu vanga okurora Ndjambi mokutwa ko omutenge kovakambure, ootate mukururume na eṱe mbu tu hi na indu twa sorere okuutjinda? 11 Eṱe twa kambura nu twa yamwa i otjari tja Muhona Jesus tjimuna owo tji va kambura nave yamwa.”
12 Ombongo aihe tjandje nai ya mwina ngunda amai puratene ku Barnabas na Paulus tji mave serekarere ovihimise noviraisiro avihe Ndjambi mbya tjitire na wo mokati kaimba mbe he ri Ovajuda. 13 Tji va mana okuhungire, Jakobus a tja: “Purateneye ku ami, vakwetu! 14 Simon wa zu nokumuraera nambano nai kutja Ndjambi wa raisa ombango ye yokuyakura imba mbe he ri Ovajuda indu tje ritoororera otjiwaṋa mokati kawo. 15 Omambo wovaprofete maye i kumwe motjiṋa hi otja tji pa tjangwa momatjangwa wawo:
16 ‘Muhona ma tja: Kombunda yoviṋa mbi ami me kotoka
nu e yarura ko ouhona wa David.
Me tungurura ovitambatundu vyawo
nu e vi zeuparisa rukwao.
17 Noviwaṋa avihe mavi ya ku ami,
naimba mbe he ri Ovajuda avehe
ami mbu mba isana okurira ouini wandje.
18 Muhona ngwa tjivisire oviṋa mbi rukuru ma tja nao.’ ”
19 Jakobus wa hungira komurungu a tja: “Otja koumune wandje, ami opu me zu okutja atu ha yandja ouzeu ku imba mbe he ri Ovajuda mbu mave ritanaurire ku Ndjambi. 20 Nungwari ngatu ve tjangere orutuu rwokuveraera kutja ave ha ri ovikurya ovihakohoke, ovyo tjinga avya punguhirwa oomukuru vovisenginina, ave ha nanukire otuvakiro nokutja ave ha ri otjipuka tji tja siniwa, nombinḓu wina ave ha ri. 21 Orondu Omatwako wa Moses ye resewa aruhe okuza korukuru mozosinagoge mesabata arihe peke, nomambo we ye zuvarisiwa movihuro avihe.”
Orutuu kovakambure mbe he ri Ovajuda
22 Nu ovaapostele novatarere nombongo aihe arire tji va tye kutja pe toororwe ovarumendu tjiva mombongo nu ve hindwe kOantiokie puna Paulus na Barnabas. Owo va toorora ovarumendu vevari, mba yozikirwe tjinene i ovakambure, okutja oJudas ngu ku za Barsabas na Silas, 23 nu ave hindi orutuu ndwi puna wo:
“Eṱe ovakweṋu, ovaapostele novatarere, matu hindi ombinika kovakambure ovakwetu avehe imba mbe he ri Ovajuda nu mbu mwa tura mOantiokie na Sirie na Silisie. 24 Twa zuva kutja ovarumendu tjiva mba zire kombongo yetu ve yokumupa ouzeu nokumukurungisa nomambo ngu ve hi na indu va raererwe i eṱe okuyekuhungira. 25 Opu twa woronganena nu nomutima umwe atuhe atu zuvasana okutoorora ovarumendu tjiva nokuvehinda ku eṋe. Owo mave ya puna omapanga wetu ovasuverwa Barnabas na Paulus, 26 mba yandjera ominyo vyawo okuṱira ena ra Muhona wetu Jesus Kristus. 27 Neṱe nambano matu mu hindire Judas na Silas mbu mave yekumuserekarera nawa oviṋa tjingevyo mbi mbi matu tjanga. 28 Ombepo Ondjapuke na eṱe twa zuvasana kutja atu ha twako omutenge warwe pendje yomazikamisiro omananḓengu nga: 29 Amu ri ko ovikurya mbya punguhirwa oomukuru vovisenginina; amu ri ko ombinḓu; amu ri ko otjipuka tji tja siniwa; neṋe oveni amu nanukire ko oruvakiro. Eṋe mamu kara nawa tji mwe riṱakamisa kutja amu ha tjiti oviṋa mbi. Minikweye tjinene amuhe!”
30 Ovahindwa va tumwa, nowo ave i kOantiokie. MOantiokie owo va kaworonganisa ombongo aihe yovakambure nu ave ve pe indwi orutuu. 31 Novandu tji vaza nokururesa, ve urisirwe nenyanda mena rOmbuze ombwa ndje ve yanḓiparisa. 32 Nu Judas na Silas, owo oveni hapo tjinga ava ri ovaprofete, va hungira orure kuna ovakambure amave ve yanḓiparisa nokuvezeuparisa. 33-34 Nowo tji va za nokukara omayuva tjiva mOantiokie, ovakambure arire tji ve ve hindi ve yaruke mohange, nowo ave yaruka ku imba mbe ve hindire.
35 Paulus na Barnabas va kara omayuva tjiva mOantiokie, puna ovakambure ovakwao ovengi amave hongo ovandu nokuzuvarisa embo ra Muhona.
Ouyenda outjavari: Paulus na Barnabas mave haṋika
36 Kombunda yanao Paulus wa tja nai ku Barnabas: “Ngatu yaruke tu katare ovakambure ovakwetu movirongo avihe mu twa zuvarisire embo ra Muhona, nu tu katjiwe kutja owo ve ri vi.” 37 Barnabas wa vangere kutja owo ve twaerere Johanes Markus, 38 nungwari Paulus ee ripura kutja kasemba okumutwaerera, eye tjinga e ha karere puna wo nga komaandero wouyenda wawo, nungwari tjinga a ri a yaruka nu e ve esire mOpamfilie. 39 Pa kara ombata onene tjinene pokati kawo, nu arire tji va haṋika: Barnabas wa toora Markus nave kondo okuvare okuyenda kOsiprus. 40 Nu Paulus we ritoororera Silas nu ave i tji va za nokuvirikiziwa i ovakambure motjari tja Muhona. 41 Eye wa tuurunga ehi ra Sirie nora Silisie ama zeuparisa ozombongo.
1 Some people came from Judea and started teaching the Lord's followers that they could not be saved, unless they were circumcised as Moses had taught. 2 This caused trouble, and Paul and Barnabas argued with them about this teaching. So it was decided to send Paul and Barnabas and a few others to Jerusalem to discuss this problem with the apostles and the church leaders.
The Church Leaders Meet in Jerusalem
3 The men who were sent by the church went through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling how the Gentiles had turned to God. This news made the Lord's followers very happy. 4 When the men arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, including the apostles and the leaders. They told them everything God had helped them do. 5 But some Pharisees had become followers of the Lord. They stood up and said, “Gentiles who have faith in the Lord must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and church leaders met to discuss this problem about Gentiles. 7 They had talked it over for a long time, when Peter got up and said:
My friends, you know that God decided long ago to let me be the one from your group to preach the good news to the Gentiles. God did this so they would hear and obey him. 8 He knows what is in everyone's heart. And he showed he had chosen the Gentiles, when he gave them the Holy Spirit, just as he had given his Spirit to us. 9 God treated them in the same way that he treated us. They put their faith in him, and he made their hearts pure.
10 Now why are you trying to make God angry by placing a heavy burden on these followers? This burden was too heavy for us or our ancestors. 11 But we believe that we will be saved by the gift of undeserved grace from our Lord Jesus Christ, just as the Gentiles are.
12 Everyone kept quiet and listened as Barnabas and Paul told how God had given them the power to work a lot of miracles and wonders for the Gentiles.
13 After they had finished speaking, James said:
My friends, listen to me! 14 Simon Peter has told how God first came to the Gentiles and made some of them his own people. 15 This agrees with what the prophets wrote,
16 “I, the Lord, will return
and rebuild
David's fallen house.
I will build it from its ruins
and set it up again.
17 Then other nations
will turn to me
and be my chosen ones.
I, the Lord, say this.
18 I promised it long ago.”
19 And so, my friends, I don't think we should place burdens on the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 We should simply write and tell them not to eat anything that has been offered to idols. They should be told not to eat the meat of any animal that has been strangled or that still has blood in it. They must also not commit any terrible sexual sins.
21 We must remember that the Law of Moses has been preached in city after city for many years, and every Sabbath it is read in our synagogues.
A Letter to Gentiles Who Had Faith in the Lord
22 The apostles, the leaders, and all the church members decided to send some men to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Silas and Judas Barsabbas, who were two leaders of the Lord's followers. 23 They wrote a letter that said:
We apostles and leaders send friendly greetings to all of you Gentiles who are followers of the Lord in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
24 We have heard that some people from here have terribly upset you by what they said. But we did not send them! 25 So we met together and decided to choose some men and to send them to you along with our good friends Barnabas and Paul. 26 These men have risked their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We are also sending Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things that we are writing.
28 The Holy Spirit has shown us that we should not place any extra burden on you. 29 But you should not eat anything offered to idols. You should not eat any meat that still has the blood in it or any meat of any animal that has been strangled. You must also not commit any terrible sexual sins. If you follow these instructions, you will do well.
We send our best wishes.
30 The four men left Jerusalem and went to Antioch. Then they called the church members together and gave them the letter. 31 When the letter was read, everyone was pleased and greatly encouraged. 32 Judas and Silas were prophets, and they spoke a long time, encouraging and helping the Lord's followers.
33 The men from Jerusalem stayed on in Antioch for a while. And when they left to return to the ones who had sent them, the followers wished them well. 34-35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached about the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Go Their Separate Ways
36 Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let's go back and visit the Lord's followers in the cities where we preached his message. Then we will know how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John, whose other name was Mark. 38 But Paul did not want to, because Mark had left them in Pamphylia and had stopped working with them.
39 Paul and Barnabas argued, then each of them went his own way. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, 40 but Paul took Silas and left after the followers had placed them in God's care. 41 They traveled through Syria and Cilicia, encouraging the churches.
