Acts Chapter 15
So some homies from Judea showed up and told the squad, "If you ain't circumcised like Moses said, you ain't getting saved, no cap."
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, {and said}, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Paul and Barnabas had a serious argument with them, and they decided to roll over to Jerusalem to talk it out with the apostles and elders.
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
On their way, the church was feeling the vibes as they passed through Phenice and Samaria, spreading the good news about the Gentiles getting saved, which brought mad joy to everyone.
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
Once they hit Jerusalem, the church and the apostles welcomed them, and they shared all the dope things God had done through them.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and {of} the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
But some Pharisees who believed jumped in, saying it was mandatory to circumcise them and force them to follow Moses’ law. That’s kinda sus.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command {them} to keep the law of Moses. {rose...: or, rose up, said they, certain}
The apostles and elders gathered to figure this whole situation out.
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
After a lot of back and forth, Peter stood up and was like, "Yo, you all know God picked me a while back so the Gentiles could hear the gospel and believe."
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men {and} brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
And God, who knows the hearts, confirmed this by giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did with us; that’s lit.
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as {he did} unto us;
He showed no difference between us and them, cleaning their hearts through faith. Periodt.
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
So why are you trying to test God by putting a heavy burden on the disciples that neither our ancestors nor we could handle?
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
We all vibe that through the grace of Jesus, we gonna be saved, just like them.
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Then everyone went quiet, tuning in to Barnabas and Paul, sharing the lit miracles God did through them for the Gentiles.
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
After the chill, James popped off, saying, "Yo, listen up, fam."
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men {and} brethren, hearken unto me:
Simeon explained how God first came to the Gentiles to scoop a squad for His name.
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
The prophets are on the same page; it’s written, for real.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
After this, I’ll bounce back and rebuild David’s tabernacle, which is all messed up; I’ll fix it up again.
After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
So that the leftover peeps might seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who's doing all this dope stuff.
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
God knows all His work since the foundation of the world.
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
So my take is, let’s not stress those who turned to God from the Gentiles.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
But let’s tell them to steer clear from idol drama, fornication, strangled stuff, and blood.
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and {from} fornication, and {from} things strangled, and {from} blood.
Moses is like, "Yo, everyone knows me in the cities; they read my stuff in the synagogues every Saturday. Vibes."
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
The apostles and elders were totally down, so they sent some of their crew to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas, aka Barsabas, and Silas, the real ones.
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; {namely}, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
They wrote letters saying, "What’s good to all the homies in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, from the apostles, elders, and fam."
And they wrote {letters} by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren {send} greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
We heard that some peeps who bounced from us were causing drama, saying you gotta get circumcised and follow the law, but we didn’t tell them to do that, no cap.
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, {Ye must} be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no {such} commandment:
We thought it was lit to send some solid guys to you with our fave Barnabas and Paul.
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
These dudes put their lives on the line for our Lord Jesus Christ, fr.
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we sent Judas and Silas too; they’ll spill the same tea in person.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell {you} the same things by mouth. {mouth: Gr. word}
The Holy Spirit and we felt it was chill to not lay any heavy stuff on you, just the essentials.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Just avoid eating meat offered to idols, blood, strangled stuff, and fornication. If you keep it real with this, you’ll be good. Peace out.
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
After they were done, they rolled back to Antioch, gathered everyone, and dropped the letter.
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
When they read it, they were vibing hard with the comfort.
{Which} when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. {consolation: or, exhortation}
Judas and Silas, also prophets, were hyping up the crew with mad words, keeping them pumped.
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed {them}.
After chilling there for a bit, they bounced back to the apostles in peace.
And after they had tarried {there} a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
But Silas was like, "Nah, I’m staying here for now."
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
Paul and Barnabas kept it going in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Lord's word, with a whole squad.
Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
A few days later, Paul was like, "Yo, let’s hit up our peeps in every city where we dropped the word and see how they’re holding up."
And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, {and see} how they do.
Barnabas wanted to bring John, aka Mark, along for the ride.
And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
But Paul was like, "Nah fam, we can’t bring him. He dipped on us in Pamphylia and bailed on the mission."
But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
The beef between them got real, so they split up: Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.
And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
Paul picked Silas and bounced, getting blessed by the crew with God's grace.
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
He cruised through Syria and Cilicia, making sure the churches were all vibin'.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.