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.”