3 So, abeing sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, bdescribing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.
4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
The Jerusalem Council
6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: a“Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 So God, awho knows the heart, acknowledged them by bgiving them the Holy Spirit, just as Hedid to us,
9aand made no distinction between us and them, bpurifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore, why do you test God aby putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But awe believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus1 Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had aworked through them among the Gentiles.
13 And after they had1 become silent, aJames answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me:
14aSimon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.
15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
16 ‘Aftera this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;
17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the1Lord who does all these things.’
19 Therefore aI judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who bare turning to God,
20 but that we awrite to them to abstain bfrom things polluted by idols, cfrom sexual immorality, dfrom things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, abeing read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
The Jerusalem Decree
22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named aBarsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that asome who went out from us have troubled you with words, bunsettling your souls, saying, “Youmust be circumcised and keep the law” —to whom we gave no such commandment—
But there rose up ... - It has been doubted whether these are the words of Paul and Barnabas, relating what occurred at Antioch, or whether they are the words of Luke recording what took place at Jerusalem. The correct exposition is probably what refers it to the latter. For:
(1) This seems to be the most obvious interpretation.
(2) The use of the words "rose up" implies that. Those who disturbed the church at Antioch are said to have come down from Judea Acts 15:1, and if this place referred to that occurrence, the same words would have been retained.
(3) The particular specification here of "the sect of the Pharisees" looks as if this was an occurrence taking place at Jerusalem. No such specification exists respecting those who came down to Antioch; but it would seem here as if this party in Jerusalem resolved still to abide by the Law, and to impose those rites on the Christian converts. However, this interpretation is by no means certain.
Which believed - Who maintained or taught.
That it was needful ... - See the notes on Acts 15:1.
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