And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance,<n id="1" /> as your rulers did too.

When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense<n id="1" /> that I now<n id="2" /> make to you.&#8221;

When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caesarea<n id="1" /> and sent him away to Tarsus.p>

Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one<n id="1" /> forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

After they stopped speaking,<n id="1" /> James replied,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Brothers, listen to me.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now when they heard this,<n id="1" /> they were acutely distressed<n id="2" /> and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, &#8220;What should we do, brothers?&#8221;

But carefully select from among you, brothers,<n id="1" /> seven<n id="2" /> men who are well-attested,<n id="3" /> full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge<n id="4" /> of this necessary task.<n id="5" />

The next day Moses<n id="1" /> saw two men<n id="2" /> fighting, and tried to make peace between<n id="3" /> them, saying, &#8216;Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting one another?&#8217;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted<n id="1" /> the word of God.<n id="2" />

Brothers,<n id="1" /> descendants<n id="2" /> of Abraham&#8217;s family,<n id="3" /> and those Gentiles among you who fear God,<n id="4" /> the message<n id="5" /> of this salvation has been sent to us.

They sent this letter with them:<n id="1" />p> <p class="BlockQuote">From the apostles<n id="2" /> and elders, your brothers,<n id="3" /> to the Gentile brothers and sisters<n id="4" /> in Antioch,<n id="5" /> Syria,<n id="6" /> and Cilicia, greetings!

<t /><p class="bodytext">The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea<n id="1" /> at once, during the night. When they arrived,<n id="2" /> they went to the Jewish synagogue.<n id="3" />

Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast<n id="1" /> at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Paul looked directly<n id="1" /> at the council<n id="2" /> and said, &#8220;Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience<n id="3" /> before God to this day.&#8221;

Paul replied,<n id="1" /> &#8220;I did not realize,<n id="2" /> brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, &#8216;<b><i>You must not speak evil about a ruler of your peoplei>b>.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

&#8220;Brothers,<n id="1" /> the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through<n id="2" /> David concerning Judas &#8211; who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus &#8211;

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Brothers,<n id="1" /> I can speak confidently<n id="2" /> to you about our forefather<n id="3" /> David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

So he replied,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather<n id="2" /> Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,

The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers<n id="1" /> also went with me, and we entered the man&#8217;s house.