5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
The Jerusalem Council
6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: a“Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 So God, awho knows the heart, acknowledged them by bgiving them the Holy Spirit, just as Hedid to us,
9aand made no distinction between us and them, bpurifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore, why do you test God aby putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But awe believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus1 Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had aworked through them among the Gentiles.
13 And after they had1 become silent, aJames answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me:
14aSimon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.
15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
16 ‘Aftera this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;
17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the1Lord who does all these things.’
19 Therefore aI judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who bare turning to God,
20 but that we awrite to them to abstain bfrom things polluted by idols, cfrom sexual immorality, dfrom things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, abeing read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
The Jerusalem Decree
22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named aBarsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that asome who went out from us have troubled you with words, bunsettling your souls, saying, “Youmust be circumcised and keep the law” —to whom we gave no such commandment—
25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one1 accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26amen who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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