But the Jews who refused to believe ¹  stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds ²  against the brothers.

When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made ¹  an attempt to mistreat ²  them and stone them, ³ 

Simeon ¹  has explained ²  how God first concerned himself ³  to select ⁴  from among the Gentiles ⁵  a people for his name.

“Therefore I conclude ¹  that we should not cause extra difficulty ²  for those among the Gentiles ³  who are turning to God,

I will rescue ¹  you from your own people ²  and from the Gentiles, to whom ³  I am sending you

For this ¹  is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed ²  you to be a light ³  for the Gentiles, to bring salvation ⁴  to the ends of the earth.’” ⁵ 

They sent this letter with them: ¹  From the apostles ²  and elders, your brothers, ³  to the Gentile brothers and sisters ⁴  in Antioch, ⁵  Syria, ⁶  and Cilicia, greetings!

But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided ¹  that they should avoid ²  meat that has been sacrificed to idols ³  and blood and what has been strangled ⁴  and sexual immorality.”

Our ¹  ancestors ²  received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, ³  until the time ⁴  of David.

But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument ¹  to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. ² 

So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ¹  and Samaria, they were relating at length ²  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ³  to all the brothers.

He came ¹  to us, took ²  Paul’s belt, ³  tied ⁴  his own hands and feet with it, ⁵  and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over ⁶  to the Gentiles.’”