6 aThe apostles and the elders came together to 1look into this 2matter.

7 After there had been much adebate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that 1in the early days bGod made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of cthe gospel and believe.

8 “And God, awho knows the heart, testified to them bgiving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

9 and aHe made no distinction between us and them, bcleansing their hearts by faith.

10 “Now therefore why do you aput God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which bneither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

11 “But we believe that we are saved through athe grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were arelating what bsigns and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’s Judgment

13 After they had stopped speaking, 1aJames answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me.

14 “aSimeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.

15 “With this the words of athe Prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 ‘aAfter these things bI will return,

And I will rebuild the 1tabernacle of David which has fallen,

And I will rebuild its ruins,

And I will restore it,

17 aSo that the rest of 1mankind may seek the Lord,

And all the Gentiles 2bwho are called by My name,’

18 aSays the Lord, who 1bmakes these things known from long ago.

19 “Therefore it is amy judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

20 but that we write to them that they abstain from 1athings contaminated by idols and from bfornication and from cwhat is strangled and from blood.

21 “For aMoses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since 1he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

22 Then it seemed good to athe apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to bAntioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and cSilas, leading men among dthe brethren,

23 and they 1sent this letter by them,

“aThe apostles and the brethren who are elders, to bthe brethren in cAntioch and dSyria and eCilicia who are from the Gentiles, fgreetings.

24 “Since we have heard that asome 1of our number to whom we gave no instruction have bdisturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,

25 ait seemed good to us, having 1become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 men who have 1arisked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 “Therefore we have sent aJudas and bSilas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

28 “For ait seemed good to bthe Holy Spirit and to cus to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

29 that you abstain from athings sacrificed to idols and from ablood and from athings strangled and from afornication; 1if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”