Acts 15:5-29

5But some of 1the sect of the 2Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to 3circumcise 4them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses.”

65The apostles and the elders came together to 6look into this 7matter. 7After there had been much 8debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “9Brothers, you know that 10in the early days 11God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of 12the gospel and believe. 8And God, 13who knows the heart, testified to them 14giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9and 15He made no distinction between us and them, 16cleansing their hearts by faith. 10Since this is the case, why are you 17putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which 18neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we are saved through 19the 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 20relating all the 21signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they stopped speaking, 2223James responded, saying, “24Brothers, listen to me. 1425Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles. 15The words of 26the Prophets agree with this, just as it is written:16‘27After these things 28I will return, And I will rebuild the fallen 29tabernacle of David, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it,1730So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles 3132who are called by My name,’1833Says the Lord, who 3435makes these things known from long ago. 19Therefore, it is 36my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20but that we write to them that they abstain from 3738things contaminated by idols, from 39acts of sexual immorality, from 40what has been 41strangled, and from blood. 21For 42from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since 43he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

22Then it seemed good to 44the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to 45Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and 46Silas, leading men among 47the brothers, 23and they 48sent this letter with them: “49The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to 50the brothers and sisters in 51Antioch, 52Syria, and 53Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: 54Greetings. 24Since we have heard that 55some 56of our number to whom we gave no instruction have 57confused you by their 58teaching, upsetting your souls, 2559it seemed good to us, having 60become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26men who have 6162risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore, we have sent 63Judas and 64Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28For 65it seemed good to 66the Holy Spirit and to 67us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29that you abstain from 68things sacrificed to idols, from 69blood, from 70things strangled, and from 71acts of sexual immorality; 72if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”