²²Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,ⁿ both leading men among the brothers. ²³They wrote:

“From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,

To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:^o

Greetings.

²⁴Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us^p and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,^D^q ²⁵we have unanimously^r decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶who have risked their lives^s for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements:^t ²⁹that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.^u You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.

Farewell.”

THE OUTCOME OF THE JERUSALEM LETTER

³⁰So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. ³¹When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. ³²Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message.^a

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Footnotes

DOther add by saying, ‘Be circumcised and keep the law,’

Cross references

n Ac 1:23; 15:2; 1Pt 5:12
o Ac 15:1; 23:26; Jms 1:1
p Gl 2:4; 5:12; Ti 1:10
q Gl 1:7; 5:10
r Ac 1:14; 2:46; 4:24; 5:12; 7:57; 8:6; 12:20; 18:12; 19:29
s Ac 9:23–25; 14:19
t Ac 5:32; 15:8
u Ac 15:20; 21:25; Rv 2:14,20
a Ac 14:22; 15:1