6
The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter.
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After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers.
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And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us;
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and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us.
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Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
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On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."
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The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.
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After they finished speaking, James replied, "My brothers, listen to me.
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Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name.
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This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written,
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"After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up,