15:12 The whole group kept quiet 1 and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs 2 and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 15:13 After they stopped speaking, 3 James replied, 4 “Brothers, listen to me. 15:14 Simeon 5 has explained 6 how God first concerned himself 7 to select 8 from among the Gentiles 9 a people for his name. 15:15 The 10 words of the prophets agree 11 with this, as it is written,
15:16 ‘After this 12 I 13 will return,
and I will rebuild the fallen tent 14 of David;
I will rebuild its ruins and restore 15 it,
15:17 so that the rest of humanity 16 may seek the Lord,
namely, 17 all the Gentiles 18 I have called to be my own,’ 19 says the Lord, 20 who makes these things 15:18 known 21 from long ago. 22
15:19 “Therefore I conclude 23 that we should not cause extra difficulty 24 for those among the Gentiles 25 who are turning to God, 15:20 but that we should write them a letter 26 telling them to abstain 27 from things defiled 28 by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled 29 and from blood. 15:21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, 30 because he is read aloud 31 in the synagogues 32 every Sabbath.”
15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided 33 to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, 34 leaders among the brothers, to Antioch 35 with Paul and Barnabas. 15:23 They sent this letter with them: 36
From the apostles 37 and elders, your brothers, 38 to the Gentile brothers and sisters 39 in Antioch, 40 Syria, 41 and Cilicia, greetings! 15:24 Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused 42 you, upsetting 43 your minds 44 by what they said, 45 15:25 we have unanimously 46 decided 47 to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 15:26 who 48 have risked their lives 49 for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 50 15:27 Therefore we are sending 51 Judas and Silas 52 who will tell you these things themselves in person. 53 15:28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us 54 not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: 55 15:29 that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols 56 and from blood and from what has been strangled 57 and from sexual immorality. 58 If you keep yourselves from doing these things, 59 you will do well. Farewell. 60