Acts 15:4-29

4When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all the things God had done with them.

5But some from the religious party of the Pharisees who had believed stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise the Gentiles and to order them to observe the law of Moses.”

6Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate about this matter.

7After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time ago God chose me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message of the gospel and believe.

8And God, who knows the heart, has testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,

9and he made no distinction between them and us, cleansing their hearts by faith.

10So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?

11On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are.”

12The whole group kept quiet and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

13After they stopped speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.

14Simeon has explained how God first concerned himself to select from among the Gentiles a people for his name.

15The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written,

16‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it,

17so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, namely, all the Gentiles I have called to be my own,’ says the Lord, who makes these things

18known from long ago.

19“Therefore I conclude that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God,

20but that we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things defiled by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood.

21For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, because he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, leaders among the brothers, to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.

23They sent this letter with them: From the apostles and elders, your brothers, to the Gentile brothers and sisters in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, greetings!

24Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused you, upsetting your minds by what they said,

25we have unanimously decided to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

26who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas who will tell you these things themselves in person.

28For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules:

29that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what has been strangled and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from doing these things, you will do well. Farewell.