Acts 15:5-19

New American Standard Bible

⁵ But some of ^(A)the sect of the ^(B)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to ^(C)circumcise ^[a]them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses.”

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

¹² All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were ^(O)relating all the ^(P)signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’ Judgment

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

¹⁹ Therefore, it is ^(Z)my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God,