13After they had stoppedspeaking, 1Jamesanswered, saying, "Brethren*, listen to me.
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"2Simeon has relatedhowGodfirstconcerned Himself abouttaking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.
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"With this the words of 3the Prophetsagree, just as it is written,
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'4AFTERTHESETHINGS5I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT,
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6SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES7WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,'
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8SAYS THE LORD, WHO 9MAKESTHESETHINGSKNOWN FROM LONGAGO.
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"Therefore it is 10my judgment that we do not troublethose who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,
20
but that we write to them that they abstain from 11thingscontaminated by idols and from 12fornication and from 13what is strangled and from blood.
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"For 14Moses from ancientgenerationshas in everycitythose who preach him, since he is read in the synagogueseverySabbath."
22
Then it seemedgood to 15the apostles and the elders, with the wholechurch, to choosemen from among them to send to 16Antioch with Paul and Barnabas-JudascalledBarsabbas, and 17Silas, leadingmenamong18the brethren,
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and they sent this letter by them, "19The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to 20the brethren in 21Antioch and 22Syria and 23Ciliciawho are from the Gentiles, 24greetings.
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"Since we have heard that 25some of our number to whom we gavenoinstruction have 26disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,
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27 it seemedgood to us, having become of onemind, to selectmen to send to you with our belovedBarnabas and Paul,
26
men who have 28risked their lives for the name of our LordJesusChrist.
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"Therefore we have sent29Judas and 30Silas, who themselves will alsoreport the samethings by word of mouth.
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"For 31it seemedgood to 32the HolySpirit and to 33us to lay upon you nogreaterburdenthantheseessentials:
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that you abstain from 34thingssacrificed to idols and from 35blood and from 36thingsstrangled and from 37fornication; if you keepyourselvesfree from suchthings, you will dowell. Farewell."
30
So when they were sentaway, 38they wentdown to Antioch; and having gathered the congregationtogether, they delivered the letter.
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When they had read it, they rejoicedbecause of its encouragement.
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39Judas and 40Silas, alsobeing41prophetsthemselves, encouraged and strengthened42the brethren with a lengthymessage.
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After they had spenttime there, they were sentaway from the brethren43in peace to those who had 44sent them out.
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But 45Paul and Barnabasstayed in Antioch, teaching and 46preaching with manyothersalso, 47the word of the Lord.
Second Missionary Journey
36AftersomedaysPaulsaid to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in 48everycity in which we proclaimed49the word of the Lord, and see how they are."
37
Barnabaswanted to take50John, calledMark, along with them also.
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But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had 51deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
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And there occurred such a sharpdisagreement that they separated from oneanother, and Barnabastook52Mark with him and sailedaway to 53Cyprus.
40
But Paulchose54Silas and left, being 55committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
41
And he was travelingthrough56Syria and 57Cilicia, strengthening the churches.