Acts 15:7 - Forerunner Commentary

Acts 15:7

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 He did to us,

9 ^aand 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:

14 ^aSimon 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 ‘After^a 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 the¹ Lord who does all these things.’

18 ¹“Known to God from eternity are all His works.

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, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” —to whom we gave no such commandment—

25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one¹ accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

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

Verse Comparison: Acts 15:7

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Acts 15:8 >>

American Standard Version
And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Amplified® Bible
And after there had been a long debate, Peter got up and said to them, Brethren, you know that quite a while ago God made a choice {or} selection from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Gospel [concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God] and believe (credit and place their confidence in it).

Contemporary English Version
They had talked it over for a long time, when Peter got up and said: My friends, you know that God decided long ago to let me be the one from your group to preach the good news to the Gentiles. God did this so that they would hear and obey him.

Darby English Version
And much discussion having taken place, Peter, standing up, said to them, Brethren, *ye* know that from the earliest days God amongst you chose that the nations by my mouth should hear the word of the glad tidings and believe.

Good News Bible
After a long debate Peter stood up and said, "My friends, you know that a long time ago God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, so that they could hear and believe.

International Standard Version
After a lengthy debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose me to be the one among you through whom the gentiles would hear the message of the gospel and believe.

King James Version
And 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.

New American Standard Bible
After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

New International Version
After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

New King James Version
And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “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.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
After there had occurred much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

Young's Literal Translation
and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said unto them, `Men, brethren, ye know that from former days, God among us did make choice, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe;

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