5
But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group came forward and said, "The non-Jewish believers must be circumcised. They must be told to obey the law of Moses."
6
The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this problem.
7
After a long debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to those who are not Jewish. They heard the Good News from me, and they believed.
8
God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, accepted them. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
9
To God, those people are not different from us. When they believed, he made their hearts pure.
10
So now why are you testing God by putting a heavy load around the necks of the non-Jewish believers? It is a load that neither we nor our ancestors were able to carry.
11
But we believe that we and they too will be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus."
12
Then the whole group became quiet. They listened to Paul and Barnabas tell about all the miracles and signs that God did through them among the non-Jewish people.
13
After they finished speaking, James said, "Brothers, listen to me.
14
Simon has told us how God showed his love for the non-Jewish people. For the first time he is accepting from among them a people to be his own.
15
The words of the prophets agree with this too: