1 και τινες κατελθοντες απο της ιουδαιας εδιδασκον τους αδελφους οτι εαν μη περιτεμνησθε τω εθει μωυσεως, ου δυνασθε σωθηναι. 2 γενομενης ουν στασεως και ζητησεως ουκ ολιγης τω παυλω και τω βαρναβα προς αυτους, εταξαν αναβαινειν παυλον και βαρναβαν και τινας αλλους εξ αυτων προς τους αποστολους και πρεσβυτερους εις ιερουσαλημ περι του ζητηματος τουτου. 3 οι μεν ουν προπεμφθεντες υπο της εκκλησιας διηρχοντο την φοινικην και σαμαρειαν εκδιηγουμενοι την επιστροφην των εθνων, και εποιουν χαραν μεγαλην πασιν τοις αδελφοις. 4 παραγενομενοι δε εις ιερουσαλημ απεδεχθησαν υπο της εκκλησιας και των αποστολων και των πρεσβυτερων, ανηγγειλαν τε οσα ο θεος εποιησεν μετ αυτων, και οτι ηνοιξεν τοις εθνεσιν θυραν πιστεως. 5 εξανεστησαν δε τινες των απο της αιρεσεως των φαρισαιων πεπιστευκοτες, λεγοντες οτι δει περιτεμνειν αυτους παραγγελλειν τε τηρειν τον νομον μωυσεως. 6 συνηχθησαν δε οι αποστολοι και οι πρεσβυτεροι ιδειν περι του λογου τουτου. 7 πολλης δε συζητησεως γενομενης αναστας πετρος ειπεν προς αυτους· ανδρες αδελφοι, υμεις επιστασθε οτι αφ ημερων αρχαιων ο θεος εν ημιν εξελεξατο δια του στοματος μου ακουσαι τα εθνη τον λογον του ευαγγελιου και πιστευσαι. 8 και ο καρδιογνωστης θεος εμαρτυρησεν αυτοις δους αυτοις το πνευμα το αγιον καθως και ημιν, 9 και ουδεν διεκρινεν μεταξυ ημων τε και αυτων τη πιστει καθαρισας τας καρδιας αυτων. 10 νυν ουν τι πειραζετε τον θεον, επιθειναι ζυγον επι τον τραχηλον των μαθητων, ον ουτε οι πατερες ημων ουτε ημεις ισχυσαμεν βαστασαι; 11 αλλα δια της χαριτος του κυριου ιησου πιστευομεν σωθηναι καθ ον τροπον κακεινοι. 12 εσιγησεν δε παν το πληθος και ηκουον βαρναβα και παυλου εξηγουμενων οσα εποιησεν ο θεος σημεια και τερατα εν τοις εθνεσιν δι αυτων. 13 μετα δε το σιγησαι αυτους απεκριθη ιακωβος λεγων· ανδρες αδελφοι, ακουσατε μου. 14 συμεων εξηγησατο καθως πρωτον ο θεος επεσκεψατο λαβειν εξ εθνων λαον επι τω ονοματι αυτου. 15 και τουτω συμφωνουσιν οι λογοι των προφητων, καθως γεγραπται· 16◆ μετα ταυτα αναστρεψω και ανοικοδομησω την σκηνην δαυιδ την πεπτωκυιαν, και τα κατεσκαμμενα αυτης ανοικοδομησω και ανορθωσω αυτην, 17◆ οπως αν εκζητησωσιν οι καταλοιποι των ανθρωπων τον κυριον, και παντα τα εθνη εφ ους επικεκληται το ονομα μου επ αυτους, λεγει κυριος ο ποιων ταυτα παντα. 18 γνωστα απ αιωνος εστιν τω θεω παντα τα εργα αυτου. 19 διο εγω κρινω μη παρενοχλειν τοις απο των εθνων επιστρεφουσιν επι τον θεον, 20 αλλα επιστειλαι αυτοις του απεχεσθαι απο των αλισγηματων των ειδωλων και της πορνειας και του πνικτου και του αιματος. 21 μωυσης γαρ εκ γενεων αρχαιων κατα πολιν τους κηρυσσοντας αυτον εχει εν ταις συναγωγαις κατα παν σαββατον αναγινωσκομενος. 22 τοτε εδοξεν τοις αποστολοις και τοις πρεσβυτεροις συν ολη τη εκκλησια εκλεξαμενους ανδρας εξ αυτων πεμψαι εις αντιοχειαν συν τω παυλω και βαρναβα, ιουδαν τον επικαλουμενον βαρσαββαν και σιλαν, ανδρας ηγουμενους εν τοις αδελφοις, 23 γραψαντες δια χειρος αυτων ταδε· οι αποστολοι και οι πρεσβυτεροι και οι αδελφοι τοις κατα την αντιοχειαν και συριαν και κιλικιαν αδελφοις τοις εξ εθνων χαιρειν. 24 επειδη ηκουσαμεν οτι τινες εξ ημων εξελθοντες εταραξαν υμας λογοις ανασκευαζοντες τας ψυχας υμων, λεγοντες περιτεμνεσθαι και τηρειν τον νομον, οις ου διεστειλαμεθα, 25 εδοξεν ημιν γενομενοις ομοθυμαδον, εκλεξαμενους ανδρας πεμψαι προς υμας συν τοις αγαπητοις ημων βαρναβα και παυλω, 26 ανθρωποις παραδεδωκοσιν τας ψυχας αυτων υπερ του ονοματος του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου. 27 απεσταλκαμεν ουν ιουδαν και σιλαν και αυτους δια λογου απαγγελλοντας τα αυτα. 28 εδοξεν γαρ τω αγιω πνευματι και ημιν μηδεν πλεον επιτιθεσθαι υμιν βαρος πλην των επαναγκες τουτων, 29 απεχεσθαι ειδωλοθυτων και αιματος και πνικτου και πορνειας· εξ ων διατηρουντες εαυτους ευ πραξετε. ερρωσθε. 30 οι μεν ουν απολυθεντες ηλθον εις αντιοχειαν, και συναγαγοντες το πληθος επεδωκαν την επιστολην. 31 αναγνοντες δε εχαρησαν επι τη παρακλησει. 32 ιουδας τε και σιλας, και αυτοι προφηται οντες, δια λογου πολλου παρεκαλεσαν τους αδελφους και επεστηριξαν. 33 ποιησαντες δε χρονον απελυθησαν μετ ειρηνης απο των αδελφων προς τους αποστολους. 34 [εδοξεν δε τω σιλα επιμειναι αυτου.] 35 παυλος δε και βαρναβας διετριβον εν αντιοχεια διδασκοντες και ευαγγελιζομενοι μετα και ετερων πολλων τον λογον του κυριου. 36 μετα δε τινας ημερας ειπεν παυλος προς βαρναβαν· επιστρεψαντες δη επισκεψωμεθα τους αδελφους ημων κατα πασαν πολιν εν αις κατηγγειλαμεν τον λογον του κυριου, πως εχουσιν. 37 βαρναβας δε εβουλευσατο συμπαραλαβειν τον ιωαννην τον επικαλουμενον μαρκον· 38 παυλος δε ηξιου, τον αποσταντα απ αυτων απο παμφυλιας και μη συνελθοντα αυτοις εις το εργον, μη συμπαραλαβειν τουτον. 39 εγενετο ουν παροξυσμος, ωστε αποχωρισθηναι αυτους απ αλληλων, τον τε βαρναβαν παραλαβοντα τον μαρκον εκπλευσαι εις κυπρον. 40 παυλος δε επιλεξαμενος σιλαν εξηλθεν, παραδοθεις τη χαριτι του θεου υπο των αδελφων, 41 διηρχετο δε την συριαν και κιλικιαν επιστηριζων τας εκκλησιας.
Acts · Patriarchal Text (Antoniades 1904/1912)
Acts 15 Patriarchal Text (Antoniades 1904/1912)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- The digital source has no accents or capitals (as Robinson distributes it); 1912 base text, movable nu regularised.
- Double square brackets [[ ]] are marks in the digital source; at 1 John 5:7–8 they enclose the words the 1904 edition prints in smaller type.
- Credit: Maurice A. Robinson & Jussi Ala-Konni (byztxt).
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
James
The Gospels name him first among Jesus' brothers (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3), and Paul calls him 'James, the Lord's brother' (Galatians 1:19); he led the church in Jerusalem and is…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 13:55; Acts 15; James 1:1
John Mark
Son of Mary of Jerusalem, taken to Antioch by Paul and Barnabas; he left them early on the first journey, then went with Barnabas to Cyprus, and was later counted by Paul as…
Cited in the guide: Acts 12:12; Acts 12:25; Acts 15:37
Judas Barsabbas
A leading man among the brothers sent with Paul, Barnabas and Silas to Antioch with the Jerusalem council's letter; he was also a prophet.
Cited in the guide: Acts 15:22; Acts 15:27; Acts 15:32
Silas
A leading man among the brothers in Jerusalem and a prophet, chosen to accompany Paul on his second journey; he was imprisoned with Paul at Philippi and is elsewhere called…
Cited in the guide: Acts 15:22; Acts 15:40; Acts 16:25
Places
Antioch (Syrian)
The empire's third-largest city and the first major Gentile church — the launching base for Paul's journeys. (Distinct from Pisidian Antioch.)
Cited in the guide: Acts 11:26; Acts 13:1-3; Galatians 2:11
Athens
The philosophical center of the Greco-Roman world. Paul engaged Stoic and Epicurean thinkers on Mars Hill (the Areopagus), reasoning toward the resurrection.
Cited in the guide: Acts 17:16; Acts 17:22
Corinth
Corinth straddled the isthmus linking mainland Greece to the Peloponnese — a hub of commerce and immorality. Paul founded the church here; a Roman bema traditionally linked to his hearing before…
Cited in the guide: Acts 18:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1
Ephesus
The chief city of Roman Asia, famed for the temple of Artemis. Paul's long ministry sparked the silversmiths' riot; the city is also the first addressed in Revelation.
Cited in the guide: Acts 19:1; Acts 19:28; Revelation 2:1
Philippi
A Roman colony on the Via Egnatia and the site of Paul's first European converts — a beloved church to which he later wrote from prison.
Cited in the guide: Acts 16:12; Acts 16:25; Philippians 1:1
Thessalonica
Capital of the Roman province of Macedonia and a key stop on the Via Egnatia. Paul's brief ministry produced a strong church and two of his earliest letters.
Cited in the guide: Acts 17:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; Acts 17:6
Cross references (40)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Galatians 5:6; Acts 15:5; Colossians 2:8; Galatians 2:11–14; 1 Corinthians 7:18–19
- 2 Acts 15:22–23; Galatians 2:1–2; Acts 15:6–7; Galatians 2:5; 2 Corinthians 11:5
- 3 Acts 14:27; Acts 21:5; 1 Corinthians 16:11; 1 Corinthians 16:6; Acts 11:18–19
- 4 Acts 15:12; Acts 14:27; Acts 15:3; Romans 15:18; Acts 21:17
- 5 Galatians 5:1–3; Acts 15:1; Philippians 3:5–8; Acts 21:20; Acts 15:24
- 6 Proverbs 15:22; Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:17; Acts 15:25; Acts 15:4
- 7 Romans 10:17–18; Galatians 2:7–9; 1 Chronicles 28:4–5; Acts 15:2; Acts 10:20
- 8 Acts 1:24; Acts 10:47; Hebrews 4:13; Acts 14:3; Acts 2:4
- 9 Ephesians 3:6; Galatians 5:6; Romans 3:22; Acts 10:28; Galatians 3:28
- 10 Galatians 5:1; Matthew 23:4; Galatians 4:9; Hebrews 9:9; Matthew 11:28–30
- 11 Romans 3:24; Titus 3:4–7; Ephesians 2:5–9; Titus 2:11; Galatians 2:16
- 12 Acts 14:27; Acts 15:4; John 4:48; Acts 21:19
- 13 Acts 12:17; James 1:1; Galatians 2:12; Galatians 2:9; 1 Corinthians 14:30–33
- 14 2 Peter 1:1; Acts 15:7–9; Luke 2:31–32; 1 Peter 2:9–10; Isaiah 43:21
- 15 Romans 15:8–12; Acts 13:47
- 16 Amos 9:11–12; Luke 1:31–33; Psalm 89:35–49; Ezekiel 17:22–24; Isaiah 9:6–7
- 17 Zechariah 2:11; Zechariah 8:20–23; Hosea 2:23; Isaiah 65:1; Jeremiah 16:19
- 18 Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 3:9; Isaiah 46:9–10; 1 Peter 1:20; Ephesians 1:11
- 19 Acts 15:28; Galatians 1:7–10; Acts 15:24; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; Isaiah 55:7
- 20 Acts 15:29; Revelation 2:20; Revelation 2:14; Leviticus 3:17; Genesis 9:4
- 21 Acts 13:15; Acts 13:27; 2 Corinthians 3:14–15; Nehemiah 8:1–12; Luke 4:16
- 22 Acts 15:27; Acts 15:40; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; Acts 15:32; Acts 1:23
- 23 Acts 23:26; James 1:1; Galatians 1:21; Romans 16:3–16; Acts 15:22
- 24 Galatians 5:12; Acts 15:1; Galatians 5:10; Titus 1:10–11; Galatians 1:7
- 25 Acts 15:22; 2 Peter 3:15; Acts 1:14; Luke 1:3; Acts 15:2
- 26 Acts 14:19; Acts 9:23–25; Philippians 2:29–30; 2 Corinthians 11:23–27; 1 Corinthians 15:30
- 27 Acts 15:22; 2 John 12; Acts 15:32; 3 John 13
- 28 Matthew 11:30; Revelation 2:24; John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 1 Peter 1:12
- 29 Acts 15:20; Acts 21:25; Revelation 2:14; Revelation 2:20; Leviticus 17:14
- 30 Acts 16:4; Acts 6:2; Acts 21:22; Acts 23:33
- 31 Galatians 2:4–5; Galatians 5:1; Philippians 3:3; Acts 15:1; Acts 15:10
- 32 Acts 11:23; Acts 14:22; Acts 13:1; 1 Corinthians 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:2
- 33 1 Corinthians 16:11; Hebrews 11:31; Acts 16:36; Genesis 26:29; Exodus 4:18
- 35 Colossians 1:28; 2 Timothy 4:2; Acts 13:1; Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 8:4
- 36 Acts 13:4; Acts 14:6; Acts 13:13–14; Acts 13:51; Acts 14:24–25
- 37 Acts 12:12; Acts 12:25; Philemon 24; Acts 13:5; 2 Timothy 4:11
- 38 Acts 13:13; Proverbs 25:19; Psalm 78:9; James 1:8; Luke 14:27–34
- 39 Colossians 4:10; Acts 4:36; Ecclesiastes 7:20; James 3:2; Romans 7:18–21
- 40 Acts 15:22; Acts 11:23; Acts 14:26; 1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 13:14
- 41 Acts 15:23; Acts 15:32; Galatians 1:21; Acts 16:4–5; Acts 6:9
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- Amos 9:12 and Acts 15:17: “the remnant of Edom” or “the rest of mankind”?
In the Hebrew text of Amos 9:12, restored Israel will “possess the remnant of Edom.” In the Septuagint, “the remnant of men” will “seek” the Lord. At the Council of Jerusalem St James quotes the Greek form to show that God intended Gentiles to belong to his people (Acts 15:16–17). The two readings differ by letters that look and sound alike in Hebrew.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Mark how at every step of the right progress in respect of the Gentiles, the beginning is brought in as matter of necessity.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
… thereof: and I will raise up his ruins, and will build them up again as in the days of old: that the residue of men may inquire for me, and all the nations upon whom my name is invoked, saith the Lord that doeth this." Chapter 29 — What Things are Predicted by Isaiah Concerning Christ and the Church The …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… Apostles also, and James the bishop of this Church, have had earnest care: and the Apostles and Elders write a Catholic epistle to all the Gentiles, that they should abstain first from things offered to idols, and then from blood also and from things strangled.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
The Divine record has expressly mentioned this when it says, "purifying their hearts by faith." The faith of God then purifies the heart, the pure heart sees God.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… writing, and acknowledge this: For it hath seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; shewing evidently by what they wrote, that though the writing was by the hands …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)