⁶ And the apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter.

⁷ And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, “Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the Word of the Gospel and believe.

⁸ And God, who knoweth the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost even as He did unto us,

⁹ and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

¹⁰ Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

¹² Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul as they declared what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

¹³ And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, hearken unto me.

¹⁴ Simon hath declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out from them a people for His name.

¹⁵ And to this agree the words of the Prophets, as it is written:

¹⁶ ‘After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. And I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up,

¹⁷ that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom My name is called, saith the Lord who doeth all these things.’

¹⁸ Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.

¹⁹ Therefore my judgment is that we trouble not those from among the Gentiles who are turned to God,

²⁰ but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

²¹ For Moses from olden times hath in every city those who preach him, he being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.”

²² Then it pleased the apostles and elders, together with the whole church, to send men chosen from their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.

²³ And they wrote letters to accompany them in this manner: “The apostles and elders and brethren send greetings unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

²⁴ Inasmuch as we have heard that certain ones who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, ‘Ye must be circumcised and keep the law’ — to whom we gave no such commandment —

²⁵ it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

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

²⁷ We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

²⁹ that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. If ye keep yourselves from these things, ye shall do well. Fare ye well!”