The words spoken by James
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.-Acts 15:18-29***Ishmael was born to 86-year-old Abraham (Abram the Hebrew) and Hagar, the maidservant of Abraham's wife Sarah (Sarai). When Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. Thus, Abraham circumcised 13-year-old Ishmael, and Abraham and the males on Abraham's property were circumcised. Isaac was born to 100-year-old Abraham and 90-year old Sarah. When Isaac was 40 years old, he was married to Rebekah, Abraham and Sarah's grandniece. Fraternal twin sons Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel) were born to 60-year-old Isaac and Rebekah. In Padan Aram, Haran, Jacob was married to Leah and Rachel, the daughters of Rebekah's brother Laban the Syrian (Aramean). Levi was the 3rd son born to Jacob and Leah, and Judah was Jacob and Leah's 4th born son. Joseph was the 1st son born to Jacob and Rachel. Approximately 1,900 years after Benjamin was born near Bethlehem to Jacob and Rachel, and Rachel died, John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, were born. John the Baptist was born into the tribe of Levi to Zechariah (Zacharias) the priest and his wife Elizabeth (Elisabeth). Jesus the Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Elizabeth's relative Mary, a virgin, and Jesus was born into the tribe of Judah to Mary and her husband Joseph when Mary was a virgin. On the 8th day after John the Baptist was born, he was circumcised, and on the 8th day after Jesus the Christ was born, Jesus was circumcised. Approximately 30 years after John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ were born, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Jesus having prayed, the heavens tearing open, the Holy Spirit descended as a dove and lit upon Jesus. The Lord God in heaven audibly acknowledged his Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert wilderness. Jesus fasted 40 days and nights and was tempted. Afterwards, Jesus was tended to by angels, and Jesus went to the area near John the Baptist, and John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus to be the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world, and testified that Jesus is the Son of God. In Galilee, Jesus told specific Israelite men to follow him, and Jesus began to preach, teach and perform miracles among the Israelites, the treasured and chosen people of the Lord God. Less than 3 1/2 years after Jesus was baptized, Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, the disciple and apostle, and Jesus was arrested, crucified, buried in a tomb, resurrected, and returned to heaven. Barnabas (Joses/Joseph) was from the tribe of Levi, and Paul (Saul) was from the tribe of Benjamin. Barnabas believed Jesus to be the Christ. Paul was not a believer. Throughout Jerusalem, Paul persecuted and imprisoned Israelites who believed Jesus to be the Christ of God. When Paul was journeying to the synagogues in Damascus, Syria, to find, bind and take to Jerusalem any Israelite believers he found, Paul and those with him saw a light from heaven flash around them. Paul heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him, and Paul spoke to Jesus and obeyed Jesus. In Damascus Paul was baptized. Approximately 3 years after Paul was baptized, Paul went to Jerusalem. The disciples of Jesus the Christ did not trust Paul. Thus, Barnabas spoke to the apostles and vouched for Paul's new life in Christ. During another visit in Jerusalem, the apostles, elders and others in the church entrusted Paul, Barnabas, Judas Barsabbas, and Silas (Silvanus) with a message for Gentiles, people not born into the Israelite tribes.-Genesis 11:26-35:29, 1 Chronicles 1:1-34, 2:1-17, 3:1-24, 6:1-81, 8:1-40, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts 1:1-26, 4:1-28:31, Galatians 1:1-2:21