⁵ But some believers who belonged to ^(A)the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ^(B)“It is necessary ^(C)to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

⁷ And after there had been much ^(A)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, ^(B)that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear ^(C)the word of ^(D)the gospel and believe.

¹⁰ Now, therefore, why ^(A)are you putting God to the test ^(B)by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples ^(C)that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we ^(D)believe that we will be ^(E)saved through ^(F)the grace of the Lord Jesus, ^(G)just as they will.”

¹³ After they finished speaking, ^(A)James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.

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

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,

²⁸ For it has seemed good ^(A)to the Holy Spirit and ^(B)to us ^(C)to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ^29 (D)that you abstain from ^(E)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.”