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,
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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."
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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,
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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."
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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.