Acts 15:4

Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!

They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them.

But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:

“ ‘You shall rise up before the gray head and honor the face of the elderly; and you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.

for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles—

for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you,

they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.

Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.

Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,

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

holding up the word of life, that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.

praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds,

Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning,

looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it,

You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”

Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.

Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”

For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.

Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.

Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake;

For I say through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.

But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often.

I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.

That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

“I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.

For a child is born to us. A son is given to us; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”

For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

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.

Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe.

All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

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.

I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.

For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

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

Do all things without complaining and arguing,

For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily,

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

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

When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.

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.

When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.

I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.

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 he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.

When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly.

When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry.

Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received commandments, “if he comes to you, receive him”),

Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers;

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

Therefore I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed.

If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,