6
1The
2apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.
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And after there had been much
3debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you,
4that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear
5the word of
6the gospel and believe.
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And God,
7who knows the heart,
8bore witness to them,
9by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,
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and
10he made no distinction between us and them,
11having cleansed their hearts
12by faith.
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Now, therefore, why
13are you putting God to the test
14by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples
15that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
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But we
16believe that we will be
17saved through
18the grace of the Lord Jesus,
19just as they will."
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And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul
20as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
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After they finished speaking,
21James replied, "Brothers, listen to me.
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22Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them
23a people for his name.
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And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
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24"'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,