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.
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.
