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Author: Ron Graham

Book of Acts

Acts 15:13-31
—Verse by verse

This page is a verse by verse study of Acts 15:13-31. These verses describe James's speech to the council at Jerusalem

James’s speech to the council at Jerusalem

Acts 15:13-31

¶“13After Paul and Barnabas finished speaking, James answered, 'Brethren, hear me. 14Simon Peter has reported how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, 16'After these things I will return. I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen. I will rebuild its ruins. I will restore it 17so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, all the Gentiles who are called by my name. Thus says the Lord, who does all these things' 18and he knows them from eternity' ” (Acts 15:13-18).

¶“19'Therefore my judgment is that we do not trouble those who turn to God from among the Gentiles. 20Let us write to them only that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. 21For Moses, from generations of old, has in every city those who preach him, and read him in the synagogues every Sabbath' ” (Acts 15:19-21).

¶“22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas Barsabas, and Silas, leaders among the brethren. 23By their hand they sent this letter: 'The apostles, the elders, and the brethren in Jerusalem, to the brethren among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia' ” (Acts 15:22-23).

¶“24'We have heard that some have gone out from among us to trouble you with their words, unsettling your souls. They say, 'You must be circumcised and keep the law.' We gave them no such commandment. 25So it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to select men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27|So we have sent to you Judas and Silas also, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth' ” (Acts 15:24-27).

¶“28'For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell' ” (Acts 15:28-29).

¶“30So, when Judas, Silas, Barnabas, and Paul, were sent off, they went to Antioch. They gathered the congregation together and delivered the letter. 31When they had read it, the congregation rejoiced because the letter was so encouraging” (Acts 15:30-31).

1 James’s Speech in Jerusalem

Verses 13-18

¶ "After Paul and Barnabas finished speaking, James answered, “Brethren, hear me. Simon Peter has reported how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, 'After these things I will return. I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen. I will rebuild its ruins. I will restore it so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, all the Gentiles who are called by my name. Thus says the Lord, who does all these things and knows them from eternity'”" (Acts 15:13-18).

Verses 19-21

¶ "Therefore my judgment is that we do not trouble those who turn to God from among the Gentiles. Let us write to them only that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses, from generations of old, has in every city those who preach him, and read him in the synagogues every Sabbath” " (Acts 15:19-21).

2 The Church Sends a Letter to the Gentile Disciples

Verses 22-23

¶ "Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas Barsabas, and Silas, leaders among the brethren. By their hand they sent this letter: “The apostles, the elders, and the brethren in Jerusalem, to the brethren among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia — greetings" (Acts 15:22-23).

Syria

Verses 24-27

¶ "We have heard that some have gone out from among us to trouble you with their words, unsettling your souls. They say, 'You must be circumcised and keep the law.' We gave them no such commandment. So it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to select men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth" (Acts 15:24-27).

Verses 28-29

¶ "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell” " (Acts 15:28-29).

3 The Letter Brings Joy to Antioch

Verses 30-31

¶ "So, when Judas, Silas, Barnabas, and Paul, were sent off, they went to Antioch. They gathered the congregation together and delivered the letter. When they had read it, the congregation rejoiced because the letter was so encouraging" (Acts 15:30-31).


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