Focused Passage

Acts 15:1-5

The Gospel of Grace Clarified and the Gentiles Received

A salvation controversy arises in Antioch, the apostles and elders discern God's work among Gentiles, Peter, Barnabas, Paul, and James testify, the church sends a letter preserving grace and fellowship, and the mission continues despite a painful ministry separation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

2 And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

3 Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

4 On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.

5 But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Then Καί G2532 Conjunction some men τινες G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural came down κατελθόντες G2718 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular Judea Ἰουδαίας G2449 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [and] were teaching ἐδίδασκον G1321 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural brothers ἀδελφοὺς G80 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction Unless Ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb you are circumcised περιτμηθῆτε G4059 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Plural according to the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular custom ἔθει G1485 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular of Moses Μωϋσέως G3475 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb you cannot δύνασθε G1410 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural be saved σωθῆναι G4982 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Verse 2

Original words

And after γενομένης G1096 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Genitive Feminine Singular . . . δὲ G1161 Conjunction engaging στάσεως G4714 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular - Παύλῳ G3972 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular - Βαρνάβᾳ G921 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular vvv πρὸς G4314 Preposition [these men] αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb in sharp ὀλίγης G3641 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular debate ζητήσεως G2214 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Paul Παῦλον G3972 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Barnabas Βαρνάβαν G921 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular were appointed ἔταξαν G5021 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural along with καί G2532 Conjunction some τινας G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural other ἄλλους G243 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural [ believers ] ἐξ G1537 Preposition . . . αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural to go up ἀναβαίνειν G305 Verb - Present Infinitive Active to εἰς G1519 Preposition Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλὴμ G2419 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular to [see] πρὸς G4314 Preposition the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural apostles ἀποστόλους G652 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction elders πρεσβυτέρους G4245 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural about περὶ G4012 Preposition this τούτου G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular question ζητήματος G2213 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Verse 3

Original words

Sent on their way προπεμφθέντες G4311 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural - οὖν G3767 Conjunction - μὲν G3303 Particle by ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular church ἐκκλησίας G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular they Οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural passed through διήρχοντο G1330 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural - τε G5037 Conjunction - τήν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular Phoenicia Φοινίκην G5403 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Samaria Σαμάρειαν G4540 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular recounting ἐκδιηγούμενοι G1555 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular conversion ἐπιστροφὴν G1995 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural Gentiles ἐθνῶν G1484 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction bringing ἐποίουν G4160 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural great μεγάλην G3173 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular joy χαρὰν G5479 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular to all πᾶσιν G3956 Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural the τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural brothers ἀδελφοῖς G80 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 4

Original words

[On] δὲ G1161 Conjunction their arrival παραγενόμενοι G3854 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural in εἰς G1519 Preposition Jerusalem Ἱεροσόλυμα G2414 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural they were welcomed παρεδέχθησαν G3858 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural by ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular church ἐκκλησίας G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural apostles ἀποστόλων G652 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural elders πρεσβυτέρων G4245 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural [to whom] τε G5037 Conjunction they reported ἀνήγγειλάν G312 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural all that ὅσα G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular had done ἐποίησεν G4160 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular through μετ’ G3326 Preposition them αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Verse 5

Original words

But δέ G1161 Conjunction some τινες G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural believers πεπιστευκότες G4100 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular party αἱρέσεως G139 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Pharisees Φαρισαίων G5330 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural stood up Ἐξανέστησαν G1817 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [and] declared λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction [The Gentiles] αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural must Δεῖ G1163 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular be circumcised περιτέμνειν G4059 Verb - Present Infinitive Active and τε G5037 Conjunction required παραγγέλλειν G3853 Verb - Present Infinitive Active to obey τηρεῖν G5083 Verb - Present Infinitive Active the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular law νόμον G3551 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular of Moses Μωϋσέως G3475 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.