Acts 15:1

Acts 15:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
• New International Version (NIV)Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Context of Acts 15:1

Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue. 3When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers and sisters.

Acts 15:1 word by word

Καί τινες κατελθόντες ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐδίδασκον τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ περιτμηθῆτε τῷ ἔθει τῷ Μωϋσέως, οὐ δύνασθε σωθῆναι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• certain menτιςtis · oneG5100
• which came downκατέρχομαιkaterchomai · to descendG2718
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• Judeaὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JudeaἸουδαίαIoudaia · JudeaG2449
• taughtδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
• the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• Exceptἐάνean · ifG1437
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• ye be circumcisedπεριτέμνωperitemnō · to circumciseG4059
• after the mannerἔθοςethos · customG1485
• of MosesΜωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
• yeδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• cannotοὐou · noG3756
• savedσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982

Cross-references for Acts 15:1

• Acts 21:20When they heard it, they glorified God and said, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.
• Galatians 2:4This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us.
• Acts 15:23They wrote: “From the apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
• Acts 15:5But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
• Romans 4:8Blessed is the person the Lord will never charge with sin.
• Galatians 5:1For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.
• Philippians 3:2Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh.
• Colossians 2:8Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.
• Genesis 17:10This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised.
• Leviticus 12:3The flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised on the eighth day.
• John 7:22“This is why Moses has given you circumcision — not that it comes from Moses but from the fathers — and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
• Acts 15:24Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,
• 1 Corinthians 7:18Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised.
• Galatians 2:1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.
• Galatians 6:13For even the circumcised don’t keep the law themselves, and yet they want you to be circumcised in order to boast about your flesh.

Commentaries on Acts 15:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Except ye be circumcised, etc. - The persons who taught this doctrine appear to have been converts to Christianity; but, supposing that the Christian religion was intended to perfect the Mosaic, and not to supersede it, they insisted on the necessity of circumcision, because, by that, a man was made debtor to the whole law, to observe all its rites and ceremonies. This question produced great disturbance in the apostolic Church; and, notwithstanding the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And certain men - These were undoubtedly men who had been Jews, but who were now converted to Christianity. The fact that they were willing to refer the matter in dispute to the apostles and elders Acts 15:2 shows that they had professedly embraced the Christian religion. The account which follows is a record of the first internal dissension which occurred in the Christian church. Hitherto the church had been struggling against external foes. Violent…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The dispute raised by Judaizing teachers. (1-6) The council at Jerusalem. (7-21) The letter from the council. (22-35) Paul and Barnabas separate. (36-41) Verses 1-6 Some from Judea taught the Gentile converts at Antioch, that they could not be saved, unless they observed the whole ceremonial law as given by Moses; and thus they sought to destroy Christian liberty. There is a strange proneness in us to think that all do wrong who do not just as we do…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1These men from Judea were Jewish Christians who taught that circumcision and conversion to Judaism were necessary for salvation. The main issue was how to welcome non-Jews into the Christian community. Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians around this time to oppose the same teaching in Galatia (see Galatians Book Introduction, “Date of Writing”).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-351-2. certain men--See the description of them in Ga 2:4.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 15:1

• Antioch
• Bigotry
• Catholicity
• Church
• Circumcision
• Council
• Elder
• Judaism
• Law
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Titus

In the dictionaries

• Judea
• Moses
• Judaea, or Judea
• Judea, Judah
• Abstain
• Cause
• Choice
• Circumcision
• Consider
• Conversion

Commentaries on Acts 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings