{And they wrote} (grapsantes). First aorist active
participle of graph(935c) and the nominative as if a principal verb
epempsan had been used instead of pempsai, the first aorist
active infinitive (anacoluthon). This committee of four (Judas,
Silas, Barnabas, Paul) carried the letter which embodied the
decision of the Conference. This letter is the writing out of the
judgment of James and apparently written by him as the President.
{The apostles and the elders, brethren} (hoi apostoloi kai hoi
presbuteroi, adelphoi). So the oldest and best MSS. without
kai (and) before "brethren." This punctuation is probably
correct and not "elder brethren." The inquiry had been sent to
the apostles and elders (verse  2 ) though the whole church
joined in the welcome (verse  4 ) and in the decision (verse
 22 ). The apostles and elders send the epistle, but call
themselves "brothers to brothers," _Fratres Fratibus Salutem_.
"The brothers" (	ois adelphois) addressed (dative case) are of
the Gentiles (ex ethn(936e)) and those in Antioch, Syria, and
Cilicia, because they were immediately involved. But the decision
of this Conference was meant for Gentile Christians everywhere
( 16:4 ). {Greeting} (Chairein). The customary formula in the
beginning of letters, the absolute infinitive (usually
chairein) with the nominative absolute also as in  Jas 1:1  Ac
23:26  and innumerable papyri (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 1902f.).