3
And they, being accompanied by
some from the
congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}, passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the
congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} and
by the apostles and elders, and they declared all the things that God had done with them.
5
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them and to command
them to keep the law of Moses.
6
And the apostles and elders came together to consider of this matter.
7
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, Men
and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God chose that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8
And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as
he did unto us,
9
and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10
Now therefore why tempt ye God, putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11
For we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
12
Then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what great miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13
And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, Men
and brethren, hearken unto me:
14
Simeon has declared how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16
After this I will return and will restore the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will repair its ruins, and I will set it up again,
17
that the men that are left might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who does all these things.
18
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19
Therefore my sentence is that those from among the Gentiles who are converted to God not be troubled,
20
but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols and
from fornication and
from things strangled and
from blood.
21
For Moses of old time has in every city those that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
22
Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole
congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas;
namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, principal men among the brethren;
23
and they wrote
letters by them after this manner: The apostles and elders and brethren
send greeting unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia;