7
and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet. "It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe.
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And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us;
9
and He made no difference between us and them, in that He cleansed their hearts by their faith.
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Now, therefore, why try an experiment upon God, by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?
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On the contrary, we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we, as well as they, shall be saved."
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Then the whole assembly remained silent while they listened to the statement made by Paul and Barnabas as to all the signs and marvels that God had done among the Gentiles through their instrumentality.
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When they had finished speaking, James said, "Brethren, listen to me.
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Symeon has related how God first looked graciously on the Gentiles to take from among them a People to be called by His name.
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And this is in harmony with the language of the Prophets, which says:
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"`"Afterwards I will return, and will rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will set it up again;
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In order that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the nations which are called by My name,"