Acts 15

brothers
Though some translations retain the older English plural, “brethren,” the rendering “brothers” here remains perfectly accurate to the Greek text (ἀδελφοὺς; adelphous) and is more natural to modern readers. This language describes a close familial union, very often used in Acts to describe believers in Christ as fellow members of the family of God. Though already accepted into the family, here they are falsely being taught that they must practice elements of the Mosaic Law to be truly be counted among God’s people.

not a little
Luke often employs a rhetorical device called litotes in which something is emphasized by negating the opposite. For example, here, he indicates a significant disagreement by saying “not a little dissension and debate” (στάσεως καὶ ζητήσεως οὐκ ὀλίγης; staseōs kai zētēseōs ouk oligēs). By saying it this way, Luke puts a greater emphasis on this disagreement than he could have had he simply said “great dissension and debate” (he does say “much debate” later in verse 7 [πολλῆς…ζητήσεως; pollēs…zēteseōs)]. This translation renders the litotes literally, giving a clear window to the Greek wording and preserving Luke’s intended emphasis and characteristic style.

command
The Greek word here is παραγγέλλω (parangellō), which is rendered in this translation either as “instruct,” “direct,” or “command” depending on context. For example, Jesus uses the same word to “instruct” the disciples where to proclaim the gospel (Matt 10:5), to “direct” the people to sit down before feeding them (Matt 15:35), and to “command” an unclean spirit to come out of a man (Luke 8:29). In each of these cases, the precise nuance is dependent on context. In this verse, “command” seems the clearest intention since the intended result is that people would keep the Law.

Brothers
Refer to the discussion on verse 1 above.

testified
This translation usually renders the Greek word μαρτυρέω (martyreō) and its cognates with “witness,” but here it is rendered with “testified.” This is because it is God who is testifying, as opposed to believers who “bear witness,” per Acts 1:8.

Brothers
Refer to the discussion on verse 1 above.

Simeon
Here, Luke records James’ speech using a Greek transliteration (Συμεὼν; Symeōn) of Peter’s Hebrew name (שִׁמְעוֹן; shim’on). This difference is reflected in the English translation (“Simeon” vs. “Simon”) to give the best representation of the actual Greek text. It is possible that James (and Luke) uses this spelling to emphasize his Jewish descent in conjunction with his testimony about the inclusion of the Gentiles without the necessity of keeping the Jewish Law, thus emphasizing even more clearly that Gentiles may be included as the people of God without becoming Jewish.

I judge
The phrase “I judge” literally translates the phrase ἐγὼ κρίνω (egō krinō). While some translations use “my judgment,” this translation seeks to represent the Greek wording as precisely as possible, using an English verb where a Greek verb is used. “I judge” portrays a greater sense of action, emphasis, and authority than “It is my judgment,” rightly showing the weight of James’ decision here.

brothers
Refer to the discussion on verse 1 above. Emphasizing that these chosen representatives were from “among the brothers” shows that these men are part of the same spiritual family, pursuing the same goal as those to whom they are sent.

sent this letter by them
The phrase “sent this letter by them” translates the Greek phrase γράψαντες διὰ χειρὸς αὐτῶν (grapsantes dia cheiros autōn). While a literal translation would be something like “wrote by their hand” (see footnote), this could be confusing in English. The translation given here aptly holds in tension the idea of “writing” (i.e., a letter) while still emphasizing the participation of those sent, thus accurately conveying Luke’s intent clearly in English. In addition, this translation helps the reader see the personal ministry of the apostles and elders to the Gentile brothers of Antioch who were coming to faith in fulfillment of the Word of God (cf. 15:13–19). The apostles and elders send not only a letter, but also “leading men among the brothers” who were willing to “risk their lives for the name of [Christ]” (15:22, 26) to bring this encouraging instruction. Such an intentional act shows the care these leaders have for the unity of the Church (cf. 15:25, 30–31).

brothers
Refer to the discussion on verses 1 and 22 above.

one accord
One of the goals of this translation is to provide a consistent English translation whenever possible when the same word or phrase is used in Greek. Such is the case here, where the Greek word ὁμοθυμαδόν (homothymadon) is rendered consistently as “one accord” in all eleven of its occurrences (1:14; 2:46; 4:24; 5:12; 7:57; 8:6; 12:20; here; 18:12; 19:29; Rom 15:6). In Acts, this word most often helps to demonstrate the unity brought about by the Holy Spirit among believers.

sexual immorality
The phrase “sexual immorality” translates the Greek word πορνείας (porneias), the term from which “pornography” is derived. It was used to describe practices of sexual perversion such as fornication, adultery, and prostitution (the related term πόρνη [pornē] means “prostitute”). As here, it referenced any sexual behavior outside the sanctity of marriage.

brothers
Refer to the discussion on verse 1 above. The believing Gentiles rejoiced to be accepted into God’s family with the Jews simply because of their belief in Christ, and are here treated as brothers, encouraged and strengthened in their faith.

And there was
Though the construction ἐγένετο δὲ (egeneto de) is normally translated “Now it happened,” this particular occurrence does not set up or divide the narrative as the Greek phrase is not followed by a stand-alone clause. Furthermore, the particle ὥστε (hōste) communicates result (“that they separated…”). Thus, contextually, it is necessary for ἐγένετο (egeneto) to function as the primary verb in the sentence, so the translation here is “And there was…” This disagreement between Paul and Barnabas was significant enough to separate the two to go different ways. In God’s providence, this worked out to the greater spread of the gospel as they covered more ground separately. Thus, this argument was a significant from a human standpoint because it drove a wedge between Christian brothers, but also significant in God’s redemptive plan as He used it for the greater progress of the gospel and the church.

committed
The verb παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi) at its most basic literal meaning is to “give over.” It is used in a variety of contexts with different emphases, and thus cannot be translated the same way everywhere. Its specific meaning in each case is dependent upon its surrounding context, and the burden of translation is to give the specific meaning intended by the author. In this context, the word carries a more positive connotation than in other places, so here “committed” is the best translation. The brothers are handing over Paul and Silas to the care of the Lord. The word is a key term in Acts, as it brackets the dedication of Paul’s mission (cf. 14:26).

brothers
Refer to the discussion on verse 1 above. Despite his disagreement with Barnabas, Paul left for more ministry on good terms with those who were of the family of faith.