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

Now some men coming down from Judea were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2When Paul and Barnabas had a big argument and debate with them, the brothers appointed Paul and Barnabas with some others from among them to go up to Jerusalem to the emissaries and elders about this issue. 3So they were sent on their way by the Antioch community. They were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing 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 21:20And when they heard, they began glorifying God. They said, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jewish people who have believed—and they are all zealous for the Torah.
• Galatians 2:4Now this issue came up because of false brothers secretly brought in (who slipped in to spy out our freedom in Messiah, in order to bring us into bondage).
• Acts 15:23and this letter along with them: “The emissaries and the elders, your brothers, To the Gentile brothers of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings!
• Acts 15:5But some belonging to the party of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Torah of Moses.”
• Romans 4:8Blessed is the man whose sin Adonai will never count against him.”
• Galatians 5:1For freedom, Messiah set us free—so stand firm, and do not be burdened by a yoke of slavery again.
• Philippians 3:2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation.
• Colossians 2:8See that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men and the basic principles of the world rather than Messiah.
• Genesis 17:10This is My covenant that you must keep between Me and you and your seed after you: all your males must be circumcised.
• Leviticus 12:3In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin is to be circumcised.
• John 7:22Because Moses has given you circumcision (though it is not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a man on Shabbat.
• Acts 15:24Since we have heard that some from among us have troubled you with words disturbing to your souls, although we gave them no such authorization,
• 1 Corinthians 7:18Was anyone called when he already had been circumcised? Let him not make himself uncircumcised. Has anyone been called while uncircumcised? Let him not allow himself to be circumcised.
• Galatians 2:1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus with me.
• Galatians 5:6For in Messiah Yeshua, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any meaning—but only trust and faithfulness expressing itself through love.
• Galatians 6:13For not even the circumcised keep Torah themselves. Yet they want to have you circumcised so that they may 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
• Abstain
• Cause
• Choice
• Circumcision
• Consider
• Conversion
• Council
• Declare

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