Summary
The chapter opens with a group from Judea insisting that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved, prompting Paul and Barnabas to travel to Jerusalem to discuss the issue with the apostles and elders. A heated debate ensues, during which Peter reminds the church that God has already accepted the Gentiles through the Holy Spirit, while James, speaking on behalf of the Jerusalem leaders, records a decision that Gentile believers should abstain from idolatrous food and immoral practices but need not be circumcised. The epistle, signed by the apostles and elders, is sent to the Gentile churches in Antioch and surrounding regions, reinforcing the council’s resolution. Afterward, Paul and Barnabas continue teaching in Antioch, but a disagreement over bringing John Mark with them leads to a split: Barnabas takes Mark to Cyprus, while Paul departs with Silas to confirm churches in Syria and Cilicia.