The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers

       Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barnabas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. With them they sent the following letter:

   The apostles and elders, your brothers,

   To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:

   Greetings.

       We have heard that some went out from us

   without our authorization and disturbed you,

   troubling your minds by what they said. So we

   all agreed to choose some men and send them to

   you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul--

   men who have risked their lives for the name of

   our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Therefore we are

   sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of

   mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to

   THE HOLY SPIRIT and to us not to burden you

   with anything beyond the following

   requirements: You are to abstain from food

   sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of

   strangled animals and from sexual immorality.

   You will do well to avoid these things.

   Farewell.

       The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of THE LORD.

The Book of Acts: chapter 15, verses 22 - 35