Acts 15:1

Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

If you love me, keep my commandments.

But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.

Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge,

Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.

He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

You observe days, months, seasons, and years.

If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,

But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.

Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.

For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

“I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.

He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

When they had arrived, and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations.

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment;

“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.

“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.

but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.

I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage,

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.

Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision.

Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.

from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking,

Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”

but Paul chose Silas and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.

whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

But with you it may be that I will stay, or even winter, that you may send me on my journey wherever I go.

For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.

Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.

Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them.

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned.

Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy.

When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him,

They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.

They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.

When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.

Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them.

They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.

Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

Let no one therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,

desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.

For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,