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The Letter for Gentile Believers

22 Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders[a]—Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas. 23 This is the letter they took with them:

“This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!

24 “We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! 25 So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.

28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”

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Footnotes

  1. 15:22 Greek were leaders among the brothers.

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 name 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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:23 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 32, 33, 36
  2. Acts 15:24 Some manuscripts some persons from us have troubled you