But the Jews who refused to believe<n id="1" /> stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds<n id="2" /> against the brothers.

When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made<n id="1" /> an attempt to mistreat<n id="2" /> them and stone them,<n id="3" />

Simeon<n id="1" /> has explained<n id="2" /> how God first concerned himself<n id="3" /> to select<n id="4" /> from among the Gentiles<n id="5" /> a people for his name.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore I conclude<n id="1" /> that we should not cause extra difficulty<n id="2" /> for those among the Gentiles<n id="3" /> who are turning to God,

I will rescue<n id="1" /> you from your own people<n id="2" /> and from the Gentiles, to whom<n id="3" /> I am sending you

For this<n id="1" /> is what the Lord has commanded us: &#8216;<i>I have appointedi><n id="2" /> <i>you to be a lighti><n id="3" /> <i>for the Gentiles, to bring salvationi><n id="4" /> <i>to the ends of the earth.i>&#8217;&#8221;<n id="5" />

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!

But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided<n id="1" /> that they should avoid<n id="2" /> meat that has been sacrificed to idols<n id="3" /> and blood and what has been strangled<n id="4" /> and sexual immorality.&#8221;

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

But the Lord said to him, &#8220;Go, because this man is my chosen instrument<n id="1" /> to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.<n id="2" />

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

He came<n id="1" /> to us, took<n id="2" /> Paul&#8217;s belt,<n id="3" /> tied<n id="4" /> his own hands and feet with it,<n id="5" /> and said, &#8220;The Holy Spirit says this: &#8216;This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over<n id="6" /> to the Gentiles.&#8217;&#8221;