The Letter to the Gentile Believers
The apostles, elders, and whole church choose Judas Barsabbas and Silas to go to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, and they send a letter with them. The letter says unauthorized men had unsettled the Gentile believers, but the church has agreed together to send trusted men with Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for Jesus' name.
T22hen the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers, 23and sent them with this letter: 24It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 22The apostles and elders, with the whole church, decide to choose men from among themselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas Barsabbas and Silas.
It shows the decision taken by the church as a whole.
Verse 23They send these men with a letter.
It begins the church's written response.
Verse 24The letter says that some had gone out from Jerusalem without authorization and had unsettled the Gentile believers with troubling words.
It corrects the source of the disturbance.
Verse 25The church says it has come to one accord and chosen men to send with Barnabas and Paul.
It emphasizes the unity behind the letter.
Verse 26Barnabas and Paul are described as men who have risked their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It honors the missionaries whose ministry had raised the question.
The letter says Judas and Silas will confirm the message in person and that it seems good to the Holy Spirit and to the church not to burden the Gentile believers beyond the essential abstentions from idol sacrifice, blood, strangled meat, and sexual immorality. It closes with the wish that they do well by keeping themselves from these things.
27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing. 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: 29You must 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.
Verse 27Judas and Silas are being sent to tell in person the same things written in the letter.
It gives the written message living witnesses.
Verse 28The letter says it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to them not to burden the Gentile believers with anything beyond the essential requirements.
It names the judgment as Spirit-guided.
Verse 29They are told to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from strangled meat, and from sexual immorality, and are wished well if they keep from these things.
It states the letter's practical charge.
A quiet block diagram: each row is one authored paragraph movement, with verse numbers kept visible for scanning and deeper work.
- vv. 22-26
The apostles, elders, and whole church choose Judas Barsabbas and Silas to go to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, and they send a letter with them. The letter says unauthorized men had unsettled the Gentile believers, but the church has agreed together to send trusted men with Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for Jesus' name.
The paragraph establishes the shared decision and the spirit in which the letter is sent. - vv. 27-29
The letter says Judas and Silas will confirm the message in person and that it seems good to the Holy Spirit and to the church not to burden the Gentile believers beyond the essential abstentions from idol sacrifice, blood, strangled meat, and sexual immorality. It closes with the wish that they do well by keeping themselves from these things.
The paragraph gives the content of the council's decision.