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 from Judea and started to teach believers that people can’t be saved unless they are circumcised as Moses’ Teachings require. 2Paul and Barnabas had a fierce dispute with these men. So Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were sent to Jerusalem to see the apostles and spiritual leaders about this claim. 3The church sent Paul and Barnabas ⌞to Jerusalem⌟. As they were going through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story of how non-Jewish people were turning to God. This story brought great joy to all the believers.

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 the spiritual leaders heard about everything, they praised God. They said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews are now believers, and all of them are deeply committed to Moses’ Teachings.
• Galatians 2:4False Christians were brought in. They slipped in as spies to learn about the freedom Christ Jesus gives us. They hoped to find a way to control us.
• Acts 15:23They wrote this letter for them to deliver: From the apostles and the spiritual leaders, your brothers. To their non-Jewish brothers and sisters in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Dear brothers and sisters,
• Acts 15:5But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “People who are not Jewish must be circumcised and ordered to follow Moses’ Teachings.”
• Romans 4:8Blessed is the person whom the Lord no longer considers sinful.”
• Galatians 5:1Christ has freed us so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. Therefore, be firm ⌞in this freedom⌟, and don’t become slaves again.
• Philippians 3:2Beware of dogs! Beware of those who do evil things. Beware of those who insist on circumcision.
• Colossians 2:8Be careful not to let anyone rob you ⌞of this faith⌟ through a shallow and misleading philosophy. Such a person follows human traditions and the world’s way of doing things rather than following Christ.
• Genesis 17:10This is how you are to be faithful to my promise: Every male among you is to be circumcised.
• Leviticus 12:3The boy must be circumcised when he is eight days old.
• John 7:22Moses gave you the teaching about circumcision (although it didn’t come from Moses but from our ancestors). So you circumcise a male on a day of rest—a holy day.
• Acts 15:24We have heard that some individuals who came from us have confused you with statements that disturb you. We did not authorize these men ⌞to speak⌟.
• 1 Corinthians 7:18Any man who was already circumcised when he was called to be a Christian shouldn’t undo his circumcision. Any man who was uncircumcised when he was called to be a Christian shouldn’t get circumcised.
• Galatians 2:1Then 14 years later I went to Jerusalem again with Barnabas. I also took Titus along.
• Galatians 5:6As far as our relationship to Christ Jesus is concerned, it doesn’t matter whether we are circumcised or not. But what matters is a faith that expresses itself through love.
• Galatians 6:13It’s clear that not even those who had themselves circumcised did this to follow Moses’ laws. Yet, they want you to be circumcised so that they can brag about what was done to your body.

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