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 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 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 Not in this translation 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 καλουμενον 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 · Byzantine Textform (Robinson-Pierpont 2018)
Acts 15 Byzantine Textform (Robinson-Pierpont 2018)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Romans 16:25–27 stands after 14:23 (as 14:24–26), as in most Byzantine manuscripts.
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)