English Standard Version
Acts 15:10
10Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Acts 15:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
- New International Version (NIV)Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
- New Living Translation (NLT)So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?
Context of Acts 15:10
8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will." 12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
Read all of Acts 15Acts 15:10 word by word
νῦν οὖν τί πειράζετε τὸν θεὸν ἐπιθεῖναι ζυγὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον τῶν μαθητῶν, ὃν οὔτε οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν οὔτε ἡμεῖς ἰσχύσαμεν βαστάσαι;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- whyτίςtis · which?G5101
- tempt yeπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: testG3985
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- to putἐπιτίθημιepitithēmi · to put/lay onG2007
- a yokeζυγόςzugos · yoke/scalesG2218
- uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the neckτράχηλοςtrachēlos · neckG5137
- of the disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- were ableἰσχύωischuō · be strongG2480
- to bearβαστάζωbastazō · to carryG941
Cross-references for Acts 15:10
- Exodus 17:2Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?"
- Isaiah 7:12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test."
- Matthew 4:7Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
- Hebrews 3:9where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.
- Matthew 11:28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
- Matthew 23:4They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
- Galatians 5:1For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
- Galatians 4:1I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything,
- Hebrews 9:9(which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
Commentaries on Acts 15:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Now therefore why tempt ye God - A God, by giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, evidently shows he does not design them to be circumcised, in order to become debtors to the law, to fulfill all its precepts, etc., why will ye provoke him to displeasure by doing what he evidently designs shall not be done? A yoke - which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? - This does not refer to the moral law - that was of eternal obligation - but to the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10Why tempt ye God? - Why provoke him to displeasure? Why, since he has shown his determination to accept them without such rites, do you provoke him by attempting to impose on his own people rites without his authority, and a against his manifest will? The argument is, that God had already accepted them. To attempt to impose these rites would be to provoke him to anger; to introduce observances which he had shown it was his purpose should now be abolished…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-21Verses 7-21 We see from the words "purifying their hearts by faith," and the address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctification by the Holy Ghost, cannot be separated; and that both are the gift of God. We have great cause to bless God that we have heard the gospel. May we have that faith which the great Searcher of hearts approves, and attests by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Then our hearts and consciences will be purified from the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-11Peter recalled his experience in Cornelius's household (chapter 10). He argued that God had accepted the Gentiles without circumcision by giving them the Holy Spirit. The grace of the Lord Jesus was available to people from all nations.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. why tempt--"try," "provoke" ye God--by standing in the way of His declared purpose. to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, &c.--He that was circumcised became thereby bound to keep the whole law. (See Ga 5:1-6). It was not then the mere yoke of burdensome ceremonies, but of an obligation which the more earnest and spiritual men became, the more impossible they felt it to fulfil. (See Ro 3:5; Ga 2:4, &c.).Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 15:10
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries