Acts 15:12-22

12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

13When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.

14Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.

15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

16“ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,

17that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’—

18things known from long ago.

19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.

21For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.