Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Acts, chapter 15, and the first chapter of the
epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. Acts, chapter
15. And certain men came down from Judea and
taught the brethren, Unless you are circumcised
according to the custom of Moses, you cannot
be saved. Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had
no small dissension and dispute with them, they
determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain
others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the
apostles and elders about this question. So being
sent on their way by the church, they passed
through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the
conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great
joy to all the brethren. And when they had come
to Jerusalem, They were received by the church
and the apostles and the elders, and they reported
all things that God had done with them. 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.
Now the apostles and elders came together to
consider this matter. And when there had been
much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them,
Men and brethren, You know that a good while
ago God chose among us that by my mouth the Gentiles
should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them
by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did
to us, and made no distinction between us and
them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore,
why do you test God by putting a yoke on the
neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers
nor we were able to bear? but we believe that
through the grace of the lord jesus christ we
shall be saved in the same manner as they then
all the multitude kept silent and listened to
barnabas and paul declaring how many miracles
and wonders god had worked through them among
the gentiles and after they had become silent
james answered saying men and brethren listen
to me simon has declared how god at the first
visited the gentiles to take out of them a people
for his name And with this the words of the prophets
agree, just as it is written, After this I will
return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David,
which has fallen down. I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will set it up, so that the rest of mankind
may seek the Lord. Even all the Gentiles who
are called by my name, says the Lord who does
all these things. Known to God from eternity
are all his works. Therefore I judge that we
should not trouble those from among the Gentiles
who are turning to God, but that we write to
them to abstain from things polluted by idols,
from sexual immorality, from things strangled
and from blood. For Moses has had throughout
many generations those who preach him in every
city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.
Then it pleased the apostles and elders with
the whole church to send chosen men. of their
own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas,
namely Judas, who was also named Barsabbas, and
Silas, leading men among the brethren. They wrote
this letter by them. The apostles, the elders,
and the brethren. To the brethren who are of
the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
Greetings. Since 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 such commandment.
It seemed good to us, being assembled with one
accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved
Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their
lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will
also report the same things by word of mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to
us to lay upon you no greater burden than these
necessary things, that you abstain from things
offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled,
and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves
from these, you will do well. Farewell. So when
they were sent off, they came to Antioch, and
when they had gathered the multitude together,
they delivered the letter. When they had read
it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. Now
Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also,
exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many
words. And after they had stayed there for a
time, they were sent back with greetings from
the brethren to the apostles. However, it seemed
good to Silas to remain there. Paul and Barnabas
also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching
the word of the Lord with many others also. Then
after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us
now go back and visit our brethren in every city
where we have preached the word of the Lord and
see how they are doing. Now Barnabas was determined
to take with them John called Mark. But Paul
insisted that they should not take with them
the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia
and had not gone with them to the work. Then
the contention became so sharp that they parted
from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and
sailed to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and departed,
being commended by the brethren to the grace
of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia,
strengthening the churches. From the epistle
of St. Paul to the Galatians, chapter 1. Paul,
an apostle, not from men, nor through men, but
through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who
raised him from the dead, and all the brethren
who are with me, to the churches of Galatia.
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and
our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our
sins that he might deliver us from this present
evil age according to the will of our God and
Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from
him who called you in the grace of Christ to
a different gospel, which is not another. But
there are some who trouble you and want to pervert
the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel
from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than
what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
As we have said before, so now I say again, if
anyone preaches any other gospel to you than
what you have received, let him be accursed.
For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek
to please men? For if I still pleased men, I
would not be a bondservant of Christ. But I make
known to you, brethren, that the gospel which
was preached by me is not according to man. For
I neither received it from man, nor was I taught
it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus
Christ. For you have heard of my former conduct
in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God
beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I
advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries,
in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous
for the traditions of my fathers. But when it
pleased God, who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me through His grace to reveal
His Son in me, that I might preach Him among
the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with
flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were apostles before me, but I went
to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. Then
after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see
Peter and remained with him fifteen days. But
I saw none of the other apostles except James,
the Lord's brother. Now concerning the things
which I write to you, indeed, before God I do
not lie. Afterward I went into the regions of
Syria and Cilicia, and I was unknown by face
to the churches of Judea which were in Christ,
but they were hearing only. He who formerly persecuted
us now preaches the faith which he once tried
to destroy, and he glorified God in me. I hope
you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did,
and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow
to continue on our journey. God bless you and
have a great day.