Acts 15:6–21

The Jerusalem Council

⁶Then the apostles and the elders assembled to consider this matter. ⁷After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: “Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, ^athat by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. ⁸And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving ^bthe Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us. ^c9He made no distinction between us and them, ^dcleansing their hearts by faith. ^e10Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks ^fthat neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹On the contrary, we believe we are saved through the grace ^gof the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”

¹²Then the whole assembly fell silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ^h13After they stopped speaking, James responded: “Brothers, listen to me! ¹⁴Simeon ⁱhas reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for His name. ^j15And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:

¹⁶After these things I will return

and rebuild David’s fallen tent.

I will rebuild its ruins

and set it up again,

¹⁷so the rest of humanity

may seek the Lord—

even all the Gentiles

who are called by My name,

declares the Lord who does these things,

¹⁸known from long ago. ^klm

¹⁹Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, ⁿfrom eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. ²¹For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.” ^o