Acts 15

Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the believers there. They said, "Unless you are circumcised the way Moses taught, you cannot be saved."

1And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

NoteCircumcision was the cutting away of the foreskin, done to Jewish boys on the eighth day after birth. In the Hebrew scriptures it was the physical mark that a male belonged to the people of Israel and to the agreement God made with Abraham, and adult male converts received it too. "After the manner of Moses" means according to the law set out in the books of Moses. "Came down from Judaea" reflects standard travel language of the time: people spoke of going up to Jerusalem and its hill country and coming down from it, partly because of the altitude and partly because of the city's standing.

2Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them strongly and argued the matter at length. So it was decided that Paul and Barnabas, along with some of the other believers, should go up to Jerusalem to ask the apostles and elders about this question. The apostles were the men Jesus had sent out as leaders, and the elders were the older leaders of the church there.

2When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

Note"Apostles" translates a Greek word meaning ones who have been sent; in Acts it usually means the circle Jesus commissioned. "Elders" translates a word meaning older men, which had long been the term for the senior men who governed a Jewish community and was carried over as a title for local church leaders. The King James "no small dissension" is understatement for effect: it means a very severe disagreement.

3The church sent them on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling how Gentiles had turned to God. Gentiles are people who are not Jewish. The news brought great joy to all the believers.

3And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

NotePhoenicia was the coastal strip north of Judea, the region of Tyre and Sidon, in modern Lebanon. Samaria was the territory between Judea and Galilee. "Gentiles" renders a word meaning the nations, that is, everyone who is not Jewish. "Conversion" here is simply the act of turning: the word pictures people turning around toward God.

4When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church welcomed them, along with the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them.

4And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

5But some believers who belonged to the strict Jewish group called the Pharisees stood up and said, "These Gentiles must be circumcised, and they must be told to obey the law of Moses."

5But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

NoteThe Pharisees were a Jewish movement known for precise observance of the law of Moses and of the body of oral tradition that had grown up around it. They were not priests but laymen, respected for their strictness. Luke notes that these men were believers in Jesus and still Pharisees; the two were not felt to be exclusive.

6So the apostles and elders met together to look into this matter.

6And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7After a long discussion, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you, so that Gentiles would hear the good news from my own mouth and believe.

7And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Note"Gospel" is an old English word meaning good news, and it translates a Greek word used for the public announcement of an important event, such as a victory or the accession of a ruler. Peter is referring back to the household of Cornelius in Acts 10.

8And God, who knows what is in every heart, showed that he accepted them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he gave the Spirit to us.

8And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

Note"Holy Ghost" is the King James rendering of what modern versions call the Holy Spirit. "Ghost" in 1611 English simply meant spirit and carried none of the haunting sense it has now. The two phrases translate the same Greek words.

9He made no difference between us and them. He made their hearts clean through faith.

9And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10So why are you testing God by putting a heavy load on the necks of the disciples? It is a load that neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were strong enough to carry.

10Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

NoteA yoke was the heavy wooden bar laid across the necks of a pair of oxen to harness them to a plow or cart. It was a standard image for an obligation a person is bound to carry, and Jewish teachers of the period spoke without complaint of taking up "the yoke of the law". "Tempt" in the King James means put to the test, not entice into wrongdoing; the sense of the English word has narrowed since 1611.

11No, we believe that we are saved through the free kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ, in just the same way they are."

11But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Note"Grace" translates a Greek word meaning favor freely given, a gift the receiver has not earned and cannot repay. The King James here reads "the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ", though many early manuscripts have simply "the Lord Jesus".

12Then the whole gathering went quiet and listened while Barnabas and Paul told about the powerful signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

12Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

NoteThe King James "gave audience" means gave them a hearing, that is, listened. "Miracles and wonders" renders two Greek words, the first of which literally means signs: acts that point beyond themselves to something, rather than mere displays of power.

13When they had finished speaking, James answered, "Brothers, listen to me.

13And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

NoteThis James is not one of the two apostles of that name. Early sources identify him as the brother of Jesus, and in Acts he speaks as the recognized head of the Jerusalem church. The King James "answered" translates a Greek verb used broadly for taking up the discussion, not only for replying to a question.

14Simeon has told us how God first showed his care for the Gentiles by taking from among them a people who would belong to him.

14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

Note"Simeon" is the Hebrew form of the name Simon, that is, Simon Peter, who has just spoken. James uses the older Jewish form of his colleague's name. "Did visit" translates a verb meaning to look in on someone with concern, the way one visits the sick, so the sense is that God turned his attention toward the Gentiles and acted for them.

15The words of the prophets agree with this. As it is written:

15And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David. I will rebuild what was left in ruins, and I will set it up again,

16After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

NoteThese lines quote the prophet Amos, chapter 9, verses 11 and 12, in the wording of the Greek version of the Hebrew scriptures, which differs at several points from the surviving Hebrew text. "Tabernacle" here is not the portable sanctuary of the wilderness but simply a tent or hut; the phrase is a figure for the fallen royal house and kingdom of David, pictured as a collapsed shelter to be put back up.

17so that the rest of the human race may look for the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.'

17That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

Note"The residue of men" means the rest of humanity, those left over beyond Israel. "Upon whom my name is called" is a Hebrew idiom for ownership: to have someone's name pronounced over you is to be marked out as belonging to that person, as a wife took a husband's name or a conquered city its ruler's.

18All the things God does have been known to him from the beginning of the world.

18Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

NoteThe Greek here is uncertain and the early manuscripts vary. Some read this as the closing words of the quotation from Amos, meaning roughly "things known from long ago"; the King James follows a longer form of the text that makes it a separate sentence of James. The rendering above reflects that longer reading.

19So my judgment is this: we should not make trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

Note"My sentence" in 1611 English means my opinion or my judgment about the case, as a judge announces a finding. It does not mean a punishment.

20Instead, we should write to them and tell them to stay away from food that has been made unclean by idols, from sexual sin, from the meat of animals that were strangled, and from blood.

20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

NoteThe four items are the points at which Gentile daily life most visibly collided with Jewish practice. "Pollutions of idols" means meat that had been sacrificed in a pagan temple and then sold or served; most butchered meat in a Greek city had passed through a shrine. "Fornication" translates a broad Greek word covering sexual immorality generally, though some readers have understood it here of the marriages between close relatives that the law of Moses forbade. "Things strangled" means animals killed without draining the blood, which Jewish slaughter required. "Blood" means eating or drinking blood, forbidden in the law of Moses on the grounds that the life is in the blood.

21For from long ago Moses has had people in every city who preach his words, and his books are read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath day. Synagogues are the buildings where Jewish people meet to worship, and the Sabbath is their weekly day of rest."

21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Note"Moses" stands here for the five books attributed to him, which were read aloud in portions in every synagogue each week. A synagogue was the local assembly hall where Jewish communities met to read scripture and pray; the Sabbath was the seventh day, Saturday, kept as a day of rest. The point of the sentence is disputed in itself: it may mean that Jews everywhere already know these requirements, or that Gentile believers will hear the law expounded regularly wherever they live.

22Then the apostles and elders, together with the whole church, decided to choose some men from among themselves and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas, who was also called Barsabas, and Silas, both leading men among the believers.

22Then 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:

NoteAntioch in Syria was a very large city, third or fourth in the Roman empire, and the base of the mission to Gentiles. "Surnamed" in 1611 English means additionally named, not a family name in the modern sense; Barsabas is an Aramaic byname meaning something like son of the Sabbath or son of the elder. "Chief men among the brethren" means leading figures among the believers.

23They sent this letter with them: "From the apostles, the elders and the brothers. To the believers who are Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

23And 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:

NoteThe letter follows the standard form of a Greek letter of the period: sender, recipients, then the one word "greeting", which was the ordinary opening of any piece of correspondence. Syria and Cilicia were adjoining Roman territories north of Judea; Cilicia was Paul's home region, its chief city being Tarsus.

24We have heard that some men who went out from us have troubled you with what they said and unsettled your minds. They told you that you must be circumcised and keep the law, but we never gave them any such instruction.

24Forasmuch 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:

Note"Subverting your souls" translates a Greek word used of dismantling or unpacking a house, hence unsettling or upsetting someone. "To whom we gave no such commandment" means the men had no authorization from the Jerusalem leaders for what they taught.

25So we all agreed together to choose some men and send them to you, along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

25It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

26Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27So we are sending Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same things in person.

27We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to lay any load on you beyond these necessary things:

28For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

29that you stay away from food that has been offered to idols, from blood, from the meat of animals that were strangled, and from sexual sin. If you keep yourselves away from these things, you will do well. Goodbye."

29That 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.

Note"Meats" in 1611 English means food of any kind, not flesh specifically. "Fare ye well" translates the conventional closing of a Greek letter, a word meaning be strong or keep well, used much as we use goodbye.

30So the men were sent off and went to Antioch. There they called the whole group of believers together and handed over the letter.

30So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

Note"The multitude" here means the whole body of believers in the city gathered in one place. "Epistle" is simply the ordinary word for a letter.

31When the people had read it, they were glad because of the encouragement it gave them.

31Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

32Judas and Silas were prophets themselves, so they said much to encourage the believers and to make them stronger.

32And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

NoteA prophet in the early church was a person who spoke messages believed to come from God to the gathered community. The role was not limited to predicting the future; as described here it consisted largely of encouragement and strengthening. "Confirmed" in the King James means made firm, steadied, rather than verified.

33After they had stayed there for a while, the believers sent them off in peace, back to those who had sent them.

33And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.

34Even so, Silas thought it best to stay on there.

34Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

ManuscriptsMost modern translations leave this verse out. It is in the Greek text the King James translators worked from, but not in the older manuscripts found since, so scholars generally take it as a copyist’s addition rather than part of the original.

NoteThis verse is absent from the earliest and best Greek manuscripts and is omitted by most modern translations, which is why the Berean and other versions skip from 33 to 35. It appears to be an early explanatory addition made by a copyist to account for Silas still being in Antioch in verse 40.

35Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch too, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, and many others did the same.

35Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

36Some days later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's go back and visit the believers in every city where we preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing."

36And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the LORD, and see how they do.

37Barnabas wanted to take John, who was also called Mark, along with them.

37And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.

Note"Whose surname was Mark" means who was also called Mark. John was his Jewish name and Mark, from the Latin Marcus, his Roman one; many Jews in the empire carried both. Elsewhere he is described as a relative of Barnabas, which may bear on why Barnabas wanted him.

38But Paul did not think that was a good idea, because Mark had left them back in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to do the work.

38But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

NotePamphylia was a coastal region of southern Asia Minor, in modern Turkey. The reference is to Acts 13, verse 13, where John Mark left Paul and Barnabas there and returned to Jerusalem. Luke does not say why, and the sentence here does not tell us what Paul held against him beyond the departure itself.

39Their argument became so sharp that the two of them separated. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus,

39And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

Note"The contention was so sharp" translates a Greek noun meaning a violent irritation or provocation; the English word paroxysm comes from it. Cyprus is the large island off the Syrian coast; it was Barnabas's native place and the first stop of his earlier journey with Paul.

40and Paul chose Silas and set out, after the believers had placed him in the care of God's free kindness.

40And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

Note"Recommended" in 1611 English means commended or handed over into someone's keeping. The believers were formally entrusting Paul to God's care as he left.

41He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, making the churches stronger.

41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.