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After a long debate Peter stood up and said, "My friends, you know that a long time ago God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, so that they could hear and believe.
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And God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us.
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He made no difference between us and them; he forgave their sins because they believed.
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So then, why do you now want to put God to the test by laying a load on the backs of the believers which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry?
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No! We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."
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The whole group was silent as they heard Barnabas and Paul report all the miracles and wonders that God had performed through them among the Gentiles.
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When they had finished speaking, James spoke up: "Listen to me, my friends!
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Simon has just explained how God first showed his care for the Gentiles by taking from among them a people to belong to him.
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The words of the prophets agree completely with this. As the scripture says,
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"After this I will return, says the Lord,
3 and restore the kingdom of David. I will rebuild its ruins and make it strong again.
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And so all the rest of the human race will come to me, all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own.