Acts 15:7–21

7 And after* there was much debate, Peter stood up and* said to them, “Men and brothers, you know that in the early daysa God chose among you through my mouth that the Gentiles should hear the message of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by* giving them* the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us. 9 And he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 So now why are you putting God to the test by* placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in ⌊the same⌋b way those also are.” 12 And the whole group became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Men and brothers, listen to me! 14 Simeon has described how God first concerned himself to take from among the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:

16 ‘After these things I will return

and build up again the tent of David that has fallen,

and the parts of it that had been torn down I will build up again

and will restore it,

17 so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord,

even all the Gentilesc ⌊who are called by my name⌋,d

says the Lord,e who makes these things 18 known from of old.’f

19 Therefore I conclude we should not cause difficulty for those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but we should write a letter to them to abstain from the pollution of idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood. 21 For Moses has those who proclaim him in every city from ancient generations, because he* is read aloud in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”