Acts 15:13-29

American Standard Version

¹³ And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying,

Brethren, hearken unto me: ¹⁴ Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the ^[a]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,

¹⁹ Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God; ²⁰ but that we ^[e]write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.

²² Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: ²³ and they wrote thus by them, ^[f]The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: ²⁴ Forasmuch as we have heard that certain ^[g]who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment; ²⁵ it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: ²⁹ that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.