Acts:15:
1 ¶ And some, coming down from Judea, taught the brethren: That, except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.
2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small contest with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of the other side should go up to the apostles and priests to Jerusalem, about this question.
3 They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through Phenice and Samaria, relating the conversion of the Gentiles. And they caused great joy to all the brethren.
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and by the apostles and ancients, declaring how great things God had done with them.
5 But there arose of the sect of the Pharisees some that believed, saying: They must be circumcised and be commanded to observe the law of Moses.
6 ¶ And the apostles and ancients assembled to consider of this matter.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter, rising up, said to them: Men, brethren, you know that in former days God made choice among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 And God, who knoweth the hearts, gave testimony, giving unto them the Holy Ghost, as well as to us:
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore, why tempt you God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
11 But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, in like manner as they also.
12 And all the multitude held their peace: and they heard Barnabas and Paul telling what great signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered,saying: Men, brethren, hear me.
14 Simon hath related how God first visited to take to the Gentiles, a people to his name.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written:
16 After these things I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down: and the ruins thereof I will rebuild. And I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all nations upon whom my name is invoked, saith the Lord, who doth these things.
18 To the Lord was his own work known from the beginning of the world.
19 For which cause, judge that they who from among the Gentiles are converted to God are not to be disquieted:
20 But that we write unto them, that they refrain themselves from the pollutions of idols and from fornication and from things strangled and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him in the synagogues, where he is read every sabbath.
22 ¶ Then it pleased the apostles and ancients, with the whole church, to choose men of their own company and to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.
23 Writing by their hands: The apostles and ancients, brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles that are at Antioch and in Syria and Cilicia, greeting.
24 Forasmuch as we have heard that some going out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no commandment:
25 It hath seemed good to us, being assembled together, to choose out men and to send them unto you, with our well beloved Barnabas and Paul:
26 Men that have given their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also will, by word of mouth, tell you the same things.
28 For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no further burden upon you than these necessary things:
29 That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication: from which things keeping yourselves, you shall dowell. Fare ye well.
30 They therefore, being dismissed, went down to Antioch and, gathering together the multitude, delivered the epistle.
31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32 But Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, with many words comforted the brethren and confirmed them.
33 And after they had spent some time there, they were let go with peace by the brethren unto them that had sent them.
34 But it seemed good unto Silas to remain there: and Judas alone departed to Jerusalem.
35 And Paul and Barnabas continued at Antioch, teaching and preaching, with many others, the word of the Lord.
36 ¶ And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas: Let us return and visit our brethren in all the cities wherein we have preached the word of the Lord, to see how they do.
37 And Barnabas would have taken with them John also, that was surnamed Mark.
38 But Paul desired that he (as having departed from them out of Pamphylia and not gone with them to the work) might not be received.
39 And there arose a dissension so that they departed one from another. And Barnabas indeed, taking Mark, sailed to Cyprus.
40 But Paul, choosing Silas, departed, being delivered by the brethren to the grace of God.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches, commanding them to keep the precepts of the apostles and the ancients.
(DRV)
CANON VI.
LET the ancient customs in Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis prevail, that the Bishop of Alexandria have jurisdiction in all these, since the like is customary for the Bishop of Rome also. Likewise in Antioch and the other provinces, let the Churches retain their privileges. And this is to be universally understood, that if any one be made bishop without the consent of the Metropolitan, the great Synod has declared that such a man ought not to be a bishop. If, however, two or three bishops shall from natural love of contradiction, oppose the common suffrage of the rest, it being reasonable and in accordance with the ecclesiastical law, then let the choice of the majority prevail.
CANON XXXIX.
Of the care and power which a Patriarch has over the bishops and archbishops of his patriarchate; and of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome over all.
Let the patriarch consider what things are done by the archbishops and bishops in their provinces; and if he shall find anything done by them otherwise than it should be, let him change it, and order it, as seemeth him fit: for he is the father of all, and they are his sons. And although the archbishop be among the bishops as an elder brother, who hath the care of his brethren, and to whom they owe obedience because he is over them; yet the patriarch is to all those who are under his power, just as he who holds the seat of Rome, is the head and prince of all patriarchs; in-asmuch as he is first, as was Peter, to whom power is given over all Christian princes, and over all their peoples, as he who is the Vicar of Christ our Lord over all peoples and over the whole Christian Church, and whoever shall contradict this, is excommunicated by the Synod.(1)
[I add Canon XXXVII. of Echellensis's Nova Versio LXXXIV. Arabic. Canonum Conc. Nicoeni, that the reader may compare it with the foregoing.]
Let there be only four patriarchs in the whole world as there are four writers of the Gospel, and four rivers, etc. And let there be a prince and chief over them, the lord of the see of the Divine Peter at Rome, according as the Apostles commanded. And after him the lord of the great Alexandria, which is the see of Mark. And the third is the lord of Ephesus, which is the see of John the Divine who speaks divine things. And the fourth and last is my lord of Antioch, which is another see of Peter. And let all the bishops be divided under the hands of these four patriarchs; and the bishops of the little towns which are under the dominion of the great cities let them be under the authority of these metropolitans. But let every metropolitan of these great cities appoint the bishops of his province, but let none of the bishops appoint him, for he is greater than they. Therefore let every man know his own rank, and let him not usurp the rank of another. And whosoever shall contradict this law which we have established the Fathers of the Synod subject him to anathema.(2)
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