These are the words of him who is holy^(B) and true,^(C) who holds the key of David.^(D) What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ⁸ I know your deeds.^(E) See, I have placed before you an open door^(F) that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.^(G)

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch,^(A) Syria^(B) and Cilicia:^(C)

Greetings.^(D)

²⁴ We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.^{(E) 25} So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— ²⁶ men who have risked their lives^(F) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas^(G) to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. ²⁸ It seemed good to the Holy Spirit^(H) and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: ²⁹ You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.^(I) You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.