Acts 15:7-11; Acts 15:13-21

Acts 15:7-11

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose and said to them, Men, brethren, ye know that a good while ago, God made choice among us, that the Gentiles, by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

8 And God, who knoweth the hearts, bore them witness, giving to them the Holy Spirit, even as [he did] to us:

9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

11 But we believe, that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they.

Acts 15:13-21

13 And after they held their peace, James answered, saying, Men, brethren, hearken to me.

14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take from among 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 build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins of it; and I will set it up:

17 That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18 Known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, who from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

20 But that we write to them that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and [from] lewdness, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood.

21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.