Editing Paul the Apostle (section)

=== Council of Jerusalem ===
{{Main|Council of Jerusalem}}
{{See also|Circumcision controversy in early Christianity}}
A vital meeting between Paul and the Jerusalem church took place in the year 49 AD by traditional (and majority) dating, compared to a revisionist (and minority) dating of 47/51 AD.{{sfn|Brown|1997|pp=428–29, 445}} The meeting is described in Acts 15:2<ref>{{Bibleverse|Acts|15:2|NIV}}</ref> and usually seen as the same event mentioned by Paul in Galatians<ref>{{Bibleverse|Galatians|2:1-10|NRSV}}</ref>{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|2005|loc=St Paul}} The key question raised was whether [[Gentile]] converts needed to be circumcised.{{sfn|Bechtel|1910}}<ref>{{Bibleverse|Acts|15:2|NIV}},{{Bibleverse|Galatians|2:1|NIV}}</ref> At this meeting, [[Saint Peter|Peter]], [[James (brother of Jesus)|James]], and [[John the Apostle|John]], who Paul calls [[Pillars of the Church]],<ref>{{Bibleverse|Galatians|2:9|NRSV}}</ref><ref>Margaret M. Mitchell, ''Gentile Christianity'' (2006), p. 103</ref> accepted Paul's mission to the Gentiles.

The Jerusalem meetings are mentioned in Acts, and also in Paul's letters.{{sfn|White|2007|pp=148–49}} For example, the Jerusalem visit for famine relief<ref>{{Bibleverse|Acts|11:27–30}}</ref> apparently corresponds to the "first visit" (to Peter and James only).<ref name="Bibleref2|Gal.|1:18–20">{{Bibleverse|Galatians|1:18–20}}</ref>{{sfn|White|2007|pp=148–49}} [[F. F. Bruce]] suggested that the "fourteen years" could be from Paul's conversion rather than from his first visit to Jerusalem.{{sfn|Bruce|2000|p=151}}