² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and ^(A)debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and ^(B)some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to ^(C)the apostles and the elders about this question. ³ So, ^(D)being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(E)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and ^(F)brought great joy to all ^(G)the brothers.^{[a] 4 (H)}When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and ^(I)the apostles and the elders, and ^(J)they declared all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some believers who belonged to ^(K)the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ^(L)“It is necessary ^(M)to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

^6 (N)The ^(O)apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.

The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then it seemed good to ^(A)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called ^(B)Barsabbas, and ^(C)Silas, leading men among ^(D)the brothers, ²³ with the following letter: ^(E)“The brothers, both ^(F)the apostles and the elders, to the brothers^[a] who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, ^(G)greetings. ²⁴ Since we have heard that ^(H)some persons have gone out from us and ^(I)troubled you^[b] with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, ²⁵ it has seemed good to us, having come ^(J)to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our ^(K)beloved Barnabas and Paul, ^26 (L)men who have ^(M)risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent ^(N)Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good ^(O)to the Holy Spirit and ^(P)to us ^(Q)to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ^29 (R)that you abstain from ^(S)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.”