Acts 15:6-30

New American Standard Bible

⁶^(A)The apostles and the elders came together to ^[a]look into this ^[b]matter. ⁷After there had been much ^(B)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “^[c]Brothers, you know that ^[d]in the early days ^(C)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of ^(D)the gospel and believe. ⁸And God, ^(E)who knows the heart, testified to them ^(F)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; ⁹and ^(G)He made no distinction between us and them, ^(H)cleansing their hearts by faith. ¹⁰Since this is the case, why are you ^(I)putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which ^(J)neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹But we believe that we are saved through ^(K)the 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 ^(L)relating all the ^(M)signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’ Judgment

¹³After they stopped speaking, ^[e]^(N)James responded, saying, “^[f]Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴^(O)Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles. ¹⁵The words of ^(P)the Prophets agree with this, just as it is written:

¹⁶‘^(Q)After these things ^(R)I will return,
And I will rebuild the fallen ^[g]tabernacle of David,
And I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will restore it,
¹⁷^(S)So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
And all the Gentiles ^[h]^(T)who are called by My name,’
¹⁸^(U)Says the Lord, who ^[i]^(V)makes these things known from long ago.

¹⁹Therefore, it is ^(W)my 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 ^[j]^(X)things contaminated by idols, from ^(Y)acts of sexual immorality, from ^(Z)what has been ^[k]strangled, and from blood. ²¹For ^(AA)from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since ^[l]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

²²Then it seemed good to ^(AB)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to ^(AC)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and ^(AD)Silas, leading men among ^(AE)the brothers, ²³and they ^[m]sent this letter with them:

“^(AF)The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to ^(AG)the brothers and sisters in ^(AH)Antioch, ^(AI)Syria, and ^(AJ)Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: ^(AK)Greetings.

²⁴Since we have heard that ^(AL)some ^[n]of our number to whom we gave no instruction have ^(AM)confused you by their ^[o]teaching, upsetting your souls, ²⁵^(AN)it seemed good to us, having ^[p]become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶men who have ^[q]^(AO)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷Therefore, we have sent ^(AP)Judas and ^(AQ)Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸For ^(AR)it seemed good to ^(AS)the Holy Spirit and to ^(AT)us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: ²⁹that you abstain from ^(AU)things sacrificed to idols, from ^(AV)blood, from ^(AW)things strangled, and from ^(AX)acts of sexual immorality; ^[r]if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”