8. God knows everyone, even their thoughts, and he accepted these non-Jewish people. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as he did to us.
9. To God, those people are not different from us. When they believed, God made their hearts pure.
10. So now, why are you putting a heavy burden around the necks of the non-Jewish followers of Jesus? Are you trying to make God angry? We and our fathers were not able to carry that burden.
11. No, we believe that we and these people will be saved the same way—by the grace of the Lord Jesus.”
12. Then the whole group became quiet. They listened while Paul and Barnabas told about all the miraculous signs and wonders that God had done through them among the non-Jewish people.
13. When they finished speaking, James said, “My brothers, listen to me.
14. Simon Peter has told us how God showed his love for the non-Jewish people. For the first time, God accepted them and made them his people.