Acts 15:7-21

7After there had been much 1debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “2Brothers, you know that 3in the early days 4God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of 5the gospel and believe. 8And God, 6who knows the heart, testified to them 7giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9and 8He made no distinction between us and them, 9cleansing their hearts by faith. 10Since this is the case, why are you 10putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which 11neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we are saved through 12the 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 13relating all the 14signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they stopped speaking, 1516James responded, saying, “17Brothers, listen to me. 1418Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles. 15The words of 19the Prophets agree with this, just as it is written:16‘20After these things 21I will return, And I will rebuild the fallen 22tabernacle of David, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it,1723So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles 2425who are called by My name,’1826Says the Lord, who 2728makes these things known from long ago. 19Therefore, it is 29my 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 3031things contaminated by idols, from 32acts of sexual immorality, from 33what has been 34strangled, and from blood. 21For 35from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since 36he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”