Focused Passage

Acts 15:12-21

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

12 The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

13 When they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to me!

14 Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own.

15 The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:

16 ‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,

17 so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things

18 that have been known for ages.’

19 It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.

21 For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 12

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction The τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular whole πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular assembly πλῆθος G4128 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular fell silent Ἐσίγησεν G4601 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [as they] καὶ G2532 Conjunction listened to ἤκουον G191 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Barnabas Βαρνάβα G921 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Paul Παύλου G3972 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular describing ἐξηγουμένων G1834 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Plural [the] ὅσα G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural signs σημεῖα G4592 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction wonders τέρατα G5059 Noun - 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 among ἐν G1722 Preposition the τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Plural Gentiles ἔθνεσιν G1484 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural through δι’ G1223 Preposition them αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Verse 13

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction When Μετὰ G3326 Preposition - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular they αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural had finished speaking σιγῆσαι G4601 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active James Ἰάκωβος G2385 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular declared ἀπεκρίθη G611 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular - λέγων G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular vvv Ἄνδρες G435 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural Brothers ἀδελφοί G80 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural listen to ἀκούσατέ G191 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural me μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Verse 14

Original words

Simon Συμεὼν G4826 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular has told us ἐξηγήσατο G1834 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular how καθὼς G2531 Adverb - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular first πρῶτον G4412 Adverb - Superlative visited [the Gentiles] ἐπεσκέψατο G1980 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular to take λαβεῖν G2983 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active from ἐξ G1537 Preposition [them] ἐθνῶν G1484 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural a people λαὸν G2992 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular [to be] τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular [own] ὀνόματι G3686 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular

BSB notes

  • Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon
Verse 15

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction The οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural words λόγοι G3056 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural prophets προφητῶν G4396 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural agree συμφωνοῦσιν G4856 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural with this τούτῳ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular as καθὼς G2531 Adverb it is written γέγραπται G1125 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 16

Original words

After Μετὰ G3326 Preposition [this] ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural I will return ἀναστρέψω G390 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction rebuild ἀνοικοδομήσω G456 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular the fallen πεπτωκυῖαν G4098 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Feminine Singular tent σκηνὴν G4633 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular of David Δαυὶδ G1138 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural Its αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular ruins κατεσκαμμένα* G2679 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Plural I will rebuild ἀνοικοδομήσω G456 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction I will restore it ἀνορθώσω G461 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular . . . αὐτήν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 17

Original words

so that ὅπως G3704 Conjunction the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural remnant κατάλοιποι G2645 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural of men ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural vvv ἂν G302 Particle may seek ἐκζητήσωσιν G1567 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Lord Κύριον G2962 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction all πάντα G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural the τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural Gentiles ἔθνη G1484 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural - ἐφ’ G1909 Preposition who οὓς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural are called ἐπικέκληται G1941 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular by My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular name ὄνομά G3686 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular - ἐπ’ G1909 Preposition - αὐτούς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural says λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [the] Lord Κύριος G2962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular who does ποιῶν G4160 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular these things ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Verse 18

Original words

[that] have been known γνωστὰ G1110 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural for ἀπ’ G575 Preposition ages αἰῶνος G165 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Amos 9:11–12 (see also LXX); BYZ and TR says the Lord, who does all these things. 18Known unto God are all His works from the ages.
Verse 19

Original words

[It is] my ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular judgment κρίνω G2919 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular therefore Διὸ G1352 Conjunction vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb that we should not cause trouble for παρενοχλεῖν G3926 Verb - Present Infinitive Active - τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural - ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural Gentiles ἐθνῶν G1484 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural [who] are turning ἐπιστρέφουσιν G1994 Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural to ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular God Θεόν G2316 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 20

Original words

Instead ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction we should write ἐπιστεῖλαι G1989 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active [ and tell] them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular to abstain from ἀπέχεσθαι G568 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle [ food ] τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural polluted ἀλισγημάτων G234 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural by idols εἰδώλων G1497 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural [from] καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular sexual immorality πορνείας G4202 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [from] καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular meat of strangled animals πνικτοῦ G4156 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction from τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular blood αἵματος G129 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Verse 21

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction Moses Μωϋσῆς G3475 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular has ἔχει G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural been proclaimed κηρύσσοντας G2784 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural - αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular in every κατὰ G2596 Preposition city πόλιν G4172 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular from ἐκ G1537 Preposition ancient ἀρχαίων G744 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural times γενεῶν G1074 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural [and] is read ἀναγινωσκόμενος G314 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition the ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural synagogues συναγωγαῖς G4864 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural on κατὰ G2596 Preposition every πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular Sabbath σάββατον G4521 Noun - Accusative Neuter 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.