Acts 15:28

Acts 15:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
• New International Version (NIV)It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:
• English Standard Version (ESV)For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
• New King James Version (NKJV)For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

Context of Acts 15:28

26These two men have worked as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that, they have almost lost their lives. 27So we are also sending Judas and Silas to you. They will tell you the same things that we have written in this letter. The Holy Spirit has shown us what we should do. We also think that this is the right thing to do. We do not want to put a heavy weight on you. So these are the only rules that we want you to obey: 29Do not eat any food that people have given to their idols. Do not eat anything that still has blood in it. If people have strangled an animal to kill it, do not eat its meat. Do not have sex with anyone that you are not married to. If you obey these rules, you will do well. Goodbye.’ 30So the believers in Jerusalem sent these four men to go to Antioch. When they arrived there, they told the group of believers to meet together. When they all met, Silas and Judas gave them the letter.

Acts 15:28 word by word

ἔδοξεν γὰρ τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν μηδὲν πλέον ἐπιτίθεσθαι ὑμῖν βάρος πλὴν τούτων τῶν ἐπάναγκεςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• it seemed goodδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
• to the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• to lay uponἐπιτίθημιepitithēmi · to put/lay onG2007
• youσύsu · youG4771
• noμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• greaterπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
• burdenβάροςbaros · burdenG922
• thanπλήνplēn · but/howeverG4133
• theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• necessaryἐπάναγκεςepanagkes · necessarilyG1876

Cross-references for Acts 15:28

• John 16:13But the Spirit will come. He is the one who shows people true things about God. When he comes, he will be a guide to you. He will help you to understand everything that is true. He will not speak on his own authority. He will tell you only what he hears from the Father. He will tell you about things that will happen after this time.
• 1 Corinthians 7:25You asked me a question about people who have not yet married. The Lord has not told me any special rule about this. But I will tell you what I myself think about it. The Lord has been very kind to me. You know that you can believe what I say.
• 1 Corinthians 14:37Someone may think that he has the gift to speak messages from God. Or he may think that he has received other spiritual gifts. Anyone who thinks like that should agree with what I have written to you. He should recognize that it is what the Lord himself is telling his people to do.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:8So do not refuse to accept what I am saying. If you do, it is not just a person that you refuse to obey. You are refusing to obey God. And God is the one who has given his Holy Spirit to you.
• 1 Peter 1:12God showed his prophets that his messages about these things were not really to help them. Instead, God sent his message to the prophets to help you. That message is the good news about Jesus Christ which you have now heard. God sent his Holy Spirit from heaven to help people to tell the good news to you. Even the angels would like to understand more about these things.
• Matthew 11:30I will not tell you to do things that are too difficult. I will not tell you to carry anything that is too heavy for you.’
• Matthew 23:4The rules that they give you are difficult to obey. Their rules are like heavy luggage, which they make you carry. But they themselves will not help you to carry that luggage. They will not agree to use even one finger to help you.
• Revelation 2:24But I say this to you other people in Thyatira. You have not agreed with what Jezebel taught. You have not learned what they call ‘Satan's deep secrets’. So I say this to you: I will not tell you to obey any other difficult rules.

Commentaries on Acts 15:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us - The whole council had met under his direction; had consulted under his influence; and gave forth their decree from his especial inspiration. Necessary things - They were necessary, howsoever burthensome they might appear; and necessary, not only for the time, place, or occasion; but for all times, all places, and all occasions. See this proved in the observations at the end of this chapter.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost - This is a strong and undoubted claim to inspiration. It was with special reference to the organization of the church that the Holy Spirit had been promised to them by the Lord Jesus, Matthew 18:18-20; John 14:26. No greater burden - To impose no greater restraints to enjoin no other observances. See the notes on Acts 15:10. Than these necessary things - Necessary: (1) In order to preserve the peace of the church. (2)…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-35Verses 22-35 Being warranted to declare themselves directed by the immediate influence of the Holy Ghost, the apostles and disciples were assured that it seemed good unto God the Holy Spirit, as well as to them, to lay upon the converts no other burden than the things before mentioned, which were necessary, either on their own account, or from present circumstances. It was a comfort to hear that carnal ordinances were no longer imposed on them, which…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-29The Jerusalem church selected two leaders to report its decision. They carried a letter from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem that explained the terms of the agreement.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 28-2928-29. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, &c.--The One, inwardly guiding to and setting His seal on the decision come to: the other, the external ecclesiastical authority devoutly embracing, expressing, and conveying to the churches that decision:--a great principle this for the Church in all time. to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things ... from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well--The whole language of these…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 15:28

• Antioch
• Catholicity
• Church
• Circumcision
• Council
• Decrees
• Doctrines
• Elder
• Epistles
• Gentiles
• Holy Spirit
• Judas (Jude)
• Law
• Silas
• Titus

In the dictionaries

• Holy Ghost
• Abstain
• Antioch
• Cause
• Choice
• Consider
• Conversion
• Council
• Declare
• Dissension

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