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The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

22 Then it seemed good to 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 Barsab′bas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, 23 with the following letter: “The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cili′cia, greeting. 24 Since we have heard that some persons from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us in assembly to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled[a] and from unchastity. 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 read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:29 Other early authorities omit and from what is strangled

Praise and Assurance under Persecution

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

57 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in thee my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of thy wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.
I cry to God Most High,
    to God who fulfils his purpose for me.
He will send from heaven and save me,
    he will put to shame those who trample upon me.Selah
God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

I lie in the midst of lions
    that greedily devour[a] the sons of men;
their teeth are spears and arrows,
    their tongues sharp swords.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let thy glory be over all the earth!

They set a net for my steps;
    my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
    but they have fallen into it themselves.Selah
My heart is steadfast, O God,
    my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
    Awake, my soul!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to thee among the nations.
10 For thy steadfast love is great to the heavens,
    thy faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let thy glory be over all the earth!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57:4 Cn: Heb are aflame

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants,[a] for the servant[b] does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 This I command you, to love one another.

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Footnotes

  1. John 15:15 Or slaves
  2. John 15:15 Or slave

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