Acts 15:5-29

5But some of 1the sect of the 2Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to 3circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

64The apostles and the elders came together to 5look into this 6matter. 7After there had been much 7debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that 8in the early days 9God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of 10the gospel and believe. 8And God, 11who knows the heart, testified to them 12giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9and 13He made no distinction between us and them, 14cleansing their hearts by faith. 10Now therefore why do you 15put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which 16neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we are saved through 17the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

12All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were 18relating what 19signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they had stopped speaking, 2021James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. 1422Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15With this the words of 23the Prophets agree, just as it is written,16‘24After these things 25I will return, And I will rebuild the 26tabernacle of David which has fallen, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it,1727So that the rest of 28mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles 2930who are called by My name,’1831Says the Lord, who 3233makes these things known from long ago. 19Therefore it is 34my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20but that we write to them that they abstain from 3536things contaminated by idols and from 37fornication and from 38what is strangled and from blood. 21For 39Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since 40he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

22Then it seemed good to 41the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to 42Antioch with Paul and Barnabas--Judas called Barsabbas, and 43Silas, leading men among 44the brethren, 23and they 45sent this letter by them, “46The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to 47the brethren in 48Antioch and 49Syria and 50Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, 51greetings. 24Since we have heard that 52some 53of our number to whom we gave no instruction have 54disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, 2555it seemed good to us, having 56become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26men who have 5758risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we have sent 59Judas and 60Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28For 61it seemed good to 62the Holy Spirit and to 63us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29that you abstain from 64things sacrificed to idols and from 65blood and from 66things strangled and from 67fornication; 68if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”