Acts 15:25

The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,

We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.

These accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.

For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost,

For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, “You shall not eat the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.”

But don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ.

But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”

But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.

But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don’t have this teaching, who don’t know what some call ‘the deep things of Satan,’ to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.

“ ‘It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’ ”

Only you shall not eat the blood. You shall pour it out on the earth like water.

Only be sure that you don’t eat the blood; for the blood is the life. You shall not eat the life with the meat.

While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.

that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.

“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.

I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

“You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end.

“ ‘Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

The next day after the seventh Sabbath you shall count fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal offering to Yahweh.

and the people pounced on the plunder, and took sheep, cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.

See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!

I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;

Therefore tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood. So should you possess the land?

and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.

But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying,

But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.

When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe.

They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.

Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them.

but Paul chose Silas and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,

we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

For I say through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.

Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it.

Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:

with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:

make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

Do all things without complaining and arguing,

Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis, for I have determined to winter there.

Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.

You shall not eat any blood, whether it is of bird or of animal, in any of your dwellings.

All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.

Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you,

But flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat.

Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.

it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;

Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.

Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.

Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.

But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things.

All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.

no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.