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.
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.
