Acts 15:7-11; Acts 15:13-21

7 After much debate, Peter stood and addressed them, "Fellow believers, you know that, early on, God chose me from among you as the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and come to believe.

8 God, who knows people's deepest thoughts and desires, confirmed this by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.

9 He made no distinction between us and them, but purified their deepest thoughts and desires through faith.

10 Why then are you now challenging God by placing a burden on the shoulders of these disciples that neither we nor our ancestors could bear?

11 On the contrary, we believe that we and they are saved in the same way, by the grace of the Lord Jesus."

13 When Barnabas and Paul also fell silent, James responded, “Fellow believers, listen to me.

14 Simon reported how, in his kindness, God came to the Gentiles in the first place, to raise up from them a people of God.

15 The prophets' words agree with this; as it is written,

16 After this I will return, and I will rebuild David's fallen tent; I will rebuild what has been torn down. I will restore it

17 so that the rest of humanity will seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who belong to me. The Lord says this, the one who does these things

18 known from earliest times.

19 "Therefore, I conclude that we shouldn't create problems for Gentiles who turn to God.

20 Instead, we should write a letter, telling them to avoid the pollution associated with idols, sexual immorality, eating meat from strangled animals, and consuming blood.

21 After all, Moses has been proclaimed in every city for a long time, and is read aloud every Sabbath in every synagogue."