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The opening as it read in 2005
Council of Jerusalem" is a name applied in retrospect to a meeting described in Acts of the Apostles chapter 15. The events described there are generally dated about the year 50, some time before the death of James the Just in 62. The council was convened as the result of the disagreement within the early Christian community between those, such as the followers of James, who believed the church must observe the rules of traditional Judaism , and Paul of Tarsus , who believed there was no such necessity. The symbolic central issue became that of circumcision , as the author of Acts relates the initial confrontation in Antioch, where Paul had been preaching: "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 his disciple, here called Barnabas , disputed fiercely with the Jerusalem Christians , so that it was determined that they "and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question." ( Acts 15:2). The Western version of Acts says those from Jerusalem ordered Paul and Barnabas and some others to Jerusalem to be judged before the apostles and elders. The author of Acts identifies the position of the Jerusalem Christians as if they were " Pharisees which believed" in Christ, a label of opprobrium for radicals like the early Christians, but one that was not strictly accurate in this case: "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 ." ( Acts 15:5). The brackets around "them" shows that it is an addition, an alternate translation of the Greek construct "paraggellein te terein" is found in Andy Gaus' Unvarnished New Testament : "They have to be circumcised; we have to proclaim and keep the law of Moses." At the council, following advice said to have been offered by Simon Peter , whose presence has not otherwise been signalled ( Acts 15:7-11), James, the leader of the Jerusalem Church, gave his decision: "Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: "But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood. ( Acts 15:19-21) The word "fornication" is a common translation of the Greek word porneia , but there is debate as to what it exactly refers. The word can mean all sexual immorality, from fornication to adultery; as such, different Bibles translate that word in various ways. The Western version of Acts substitutes the negative form of the Golden Rule for the prohibition against things strangled. The Didache , short for "Teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles by the Twelve Apostles", part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible and the Apostolic Fathers collection, is generally dated about the same time as Acts. Though it doesn't mention a council, its title strongly suggests it is meant to represent the decree of that council. It starts with a first commandment, the negative form of the Golden Rule, then a second commandment has prohibitions against murder, adultery, corrupting boys, sexual promiscuity, theft, magic, sorcery, abortion, infanticide, coveting, perjury, false testimony, speaking evil, holding grudges, being double-minded, not acting as you speak, greed, avarice, hypocrisy, maliciousness, arrogance, ploting evil against neighbors, hate, narcissism and expansions on these generally with references to the words of Jesus. Chapter 6 says if you can bear the whole yoke of the Lord you will be perfect, but otherwise do what you can, (which seems to parallel James as recorded in Acts), followed by the prohibition against meat sacrificed to idols. Related to the Didache are the Epistle of Barnabas , Didascalia , and Apostolic Constitutions .1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 17982611.
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James the Just , whose judgment was adopted in the Apostolic Decree of Acts 15:19–29 , c. 50 AD: "...we should write to them [Gentiles] to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood ..." ( NRSV ) Interpretation Hermeneutics Pesher Midrash Pardes Allegorical interpretation Historical-grammatical method Inspiration Literalism Alcohol Conspiracy theory Ethics Capital punishment Homosexuality Humor Incest Muhammad Prophecy Rape Serpents Sex Slavery Violence Warfare Women Perspectives Gnostic Islamic Quranic Inerrancy Infallibility Criticism of the Bible Biblical authority Outline of Bible-related topics Bible portal v t e The Council of Jerusalem (or Apostolic Conference ) is a name applied by historians to an Early Christian council dated to around the year 50.The council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the Mosaic law , including the rules concerning circumcision of males , however, the Council did retain the prohibitions against eating blood , or eating meat containing blood , or meat of animals not properly slain, and against fornication and idolatry .Descriptions of the council are found in Acts of the Apostles chapter 15 (in two different forms, the Alexandrian and Western versions ) and also possibly in Paul 's letter to the Galatians chapter 2 .Some scholars dispute that Galatians 2 is about the Council of Jerusalem (notably because Galatians 2 describes a private meeting) while other scholars dispute the historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles .Paul was likely an eyewitness, a major person in attendance, whereas Luke , the writer of Luke-Acts , who was a later follower of Paul, may not have been in attendance, and thus could have written second-hand, about the meeting he described in Acts 15.Whether or not Galatians 2:1–10 is a record of the Council of Jerusalem or a different event is not agreed.Paul writes of laying his gospel before the others “privately,” not as in a Council.It has been argued that Galatians was written as Paul was on his way to the Council (see Paul of Tarsus ).Brown in his Introduction to the New Testament argues that they (Acts 15 and Galatians 2) are the same event but each from a different viewpoint with its own bias.
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James the Just , whose judgment was adopted in the Apostolic Decree of Acts 15:19–29 , c. 50 AD: "...we should write to them [Gentiles] to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood ..." ( NRSV ) Interpretation Hermeneutics Pesher Midrash Pardes Allegorical interpretation Historical-grammatical method Inspiration Literalism Alcohol Conspiracy theory Ethics Capital punishment Homosexuality Humor Incest Muhammad Prophecy Rape Serpents Sex Slavery Violence Warfare Women Perspectives Gnostic Islamic Quranic Inerrancy Infallibility Criticism of the Bible Biblical authority Outline of Bible-related topics Bible portal v t e Council of Jerusalem (or Apostolic Conference ) is a name applied by historians and theologians to a Christian Apostolic Age council that was held in Jerusalem and dated to around the year 50 AD. It is unique among the ancient pre-ecumenical councils in that it is considered by Catholics and Orthodox to be a prototype and forerunner of the later Ecumenical Councils and a key part of Christian ethics .The council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the Law of Moses , including the rules concerning circumcision of males .The Council did, however, retain the prohibitions on eating blood , meat containing blood , and meat of animals not properly slain, and on fornication and idolatry , sometimes referred to as the Apostolic Decree or Jerusalem Quadrilateral . Descriptions of the council are found in Acts of the Apostles chapter 15 (in two different forms, the Alexandrian and Western versions ) and also possibly in Paul 's letter to the Galatians chapter 2. Some scholars dispute that Galatians 2 is about the Council of Jerusalem (notably because Galatians 2 describes a private meeting) while other scholars dispute the historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles . Whether or not Galatians 2:1–10 is a record of the Council of Jerusalem or a different event is not agreed. Paul writes of laying his gospel before the others "privately," not as in a Council. It has been argued that Galatians was written as Paul was on his way to the Council (see Paul the Apostle ). Brown in his Introduction to the New Testament argues that they (Acts 15 and Galatians 2) are the same event but each from a different viewpoint with its own bias.
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The opening as it stood in 2020
James the Just , whose judgment was adopted in the Apostolic Decree of Acts 15:19–29 , c. 78 AD: "we should write to them [Gentiles] to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood ..." ( NRSV ) Interpretation Hermeneutics Pesher Midrash Pardes Allegorical interpretation Historical-grammatical method Inspiration Literalism Alcohol Conspiracy theory Ethics Capital punishment Homosexuality Humor Incest Muhammad Prophecy Rape Serpents Sex Slavery Violence Warfare Women Perspectives Gnostic Islamic Quranic Inerrancy Infallibility Criticism of the Bible Biblical authority Outline of Bible-related topics Bible portal v t e The Council of Jerusalem or Apostolic Council was held in Jerusalem around AD 50. It is unique among the ancient pre-ecumenical councils in that it is considered by Catholics and Orthodox to be a prototype and forerunner of the later ecumenical councils and a key part of Christian ethics . The council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the Law of Moses , including the rules concerning circumcision of males . The Council did, however, retain the prohibitions on eating blood , meat containing blood , and meat of animals that were strangled, and on fornication and idolatry , sometimes referred to as the Apostolic Decree or Jerusalem Quadrilateral. Accounts of the council are found in Acts of the Apostles chapter 15 (in two different forms, the Alexandrian and Western versions ) and also possibly in Paul 's letter to the Galatians chapter 2. Some scholars dispute that Galatians 2 is about the Council of Jerusalem (notably because Galatians 2 describes a private meeting) while other scholars dispute the historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles . Whether or not Galatians 2:1–10 is a record of the Council of Jerusalem or a different event is not agreed. Paul writes of laying his gospel before the others "privately", not in a Council. It has been argued that Galatians was written as Paul was on his way to the Council (see Paul the Apostle ). Brown in his Introduction to the New Testament argues that they (Acts 15 and Galatians 2) are the same event but each from a different viewpoint with its own bias.
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The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
First Christian synod (c. 48–50 AD) This article is about the 1st-century council of early Christianity. James the Just , whose judgment was adopted in the Apostolic Decree of Acts 15:19–29 , c. 78 AD : "we should write to them [Gentiles] to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood ..." ( NRSV ) Interpretation Hermeneutics Pesher Midrash Pardes Allegorical interpretation Historical-grammatical method Inspiration Literalism Alcohol Conspiracy theory Ethics Capital punishment Homosexuality Humor Incest Muhammad Prophecy Rape Serpents Sex Slavery Violence Warfare Women Perspectives Gnostic Islamic Quranic Inerrancy Infallibility Criticism of the Bible Biblical authority Outline of Bible-related topics Bible portal v t e The Council of Jerusalem or Apostolic Council is a council described in chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles , allegedly held in Jerusalem around c. 48–50 AD . The council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the rules prescribed to the Jews by the Mosaic Law , such as Jewish dietary laws and other specific rituals, including the rules concerning circumcision of males . The council did, however, retain the prohibitions on eating blood , meat containing blood , and meat of animals that were strangled, and on fornication and idolatry , sometimes referred to as the Apostolic Decree . The purpose and origin of these four prohibitions is debated. Accounts of the council are found in Acts of the Apostles (chapter 15 in two different forms, the Alexandrian and Western versions ) and also possibly in Paul 's letter to the Galatians (chapter 2). Some scholars dispute that Galatians 2 is about the Council of Jerusalem, while others have defended this identification.The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd Revised ed.).A Concise History of the Catholic Church (Revised and expanded ed.).Journal of Biblical Literature . 112 (3). Whether or not Galatians 2:1–10 is a record of the Council of Jerusalem or a different event is not agreed. Paul writes of laying his gospel before the others "privately", not in a Council. It has been argued that Galatians was written as Paul was on his way to the Council (see Paul the Apostle ). Brown in his Introduction to the New Testament argues that they (Acts 15 and Galatians 2) are the same event but each from a different viewpoint with its own bias.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1173315146.
The opening as it stood in 2025
First Christian synod (c. 48–50 AD) This article is about the 1st-century council of early Christianity. James the Just , whose judgment was adopted in the Apostolic Decree of Acts 15:19–29 , c. 78 AD : "we should write to them [Gentiles] to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood ..." ( NRSV ) Interpretation Hermeneutics Pesher Midrash Pardes Allegorical interpretation Historical-grammatical method Inspiration Literalism Alcohol Conspiracy theory Ethics Capital punishment Homosexuality Humor Incest Muhammad Prophecy Rape Serpents Sex Slavery Violence Warfare Women Perspectives Gnostic Islamic Quranic Inerrancy Infallibility Criticism of the Bible Biblical authority Outline of Bible-related topics Bible portal v t e The Council of Jerusalem or Apostolic Council is a council described in chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles , held in Jerusalem c. The council decided that Gentiles who converted to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the rules prescribed to the Jews by the Mosaic Law , such as Jewish dietary laws and other specific rituals, including the rules concerning circumcision of males . The council did, however, retain the prohibitions on eating blood or meat containing blood , and meat of animals that were strangled, and on fornication and idolatry , sometimes referred to as the Apostolic Decree . The purpose and origin of these four prohibitions is debated. Accounts of the council are found in Acts of the Apostles (chapter 15 in two different forms, the Alexandrian and Western versions ) and also possibly in Paul 's letter to the Galatians (chapter 2). Some scholars dispute that Galatians 2 is about the Council of Jerusalem, while others have defended this identification. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd Revised ed.). A Concise History of the Catholic Church (Revised and expanded ed.). Journal of Biblical Literature . 112 (3). Whether or not Galatians 2:1–10 is a record of the Council of Jerusalem or a different event is not agreed. Paul writes of laying his gospel before the others "privately", not in a Council. It has been argued that Galatians was written as Paul was on his way to the Council (see Paul the Apostle ). Brown in his Introduction to the New Testament argues that they (Acts 15 and Galatians 2) are the same event but each from a different viewpoint with its own bias.
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