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

¹⁹ Therefore ^(A)my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who ^(B)turn to God,

²⁴ Since we have heard that ^(A)some persons have gone out from us and ^(B)troubled you^[a] with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,

²⁷ We have therefore sent ^(A)Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good ^(B)to the Holy Spirit and ^(C)to us ^(D)to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ^29 (E)that you abstain from ^(F)what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

³⁰ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

⁴ As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance ^(A)the decisions ^(B)that had been reached by ^(C)the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, ^(A)tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, ^(B)let him be to you as ^(C)a Gentile and ^(D)a tax collector. ¹⁸ Truly, I say to you, ^(E)whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed^[a] in heaven. ¹⁹ Again I say to you, if two of you ^(F)agree on earth about anything they ask, ^(G)it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are ^(H)gathered in my name, ^(I)there am I among them.”