第一次教会大公会议，是主后48或49年在耶路撒冷召开。

目的是解决外邦人信主后，加入教会要遵守的条件（徒十五）。 这里有两派主张，一派以法利赛人为主，要求严格遵循摩西律法(当然是已经被祭司与文士过度仪式化的规矩)，包含割礼。另外一派，以保罗和巴拿巴为代表，主张摩西律法连犹太人都觉得难以遵守，不必强求外邦人遵循。两派因此起了冲突。

The Council of Jerusalem was held in Jerusalem around 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.