BOOK 44 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

Acts 15

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Acts 15 Overview

Men from Judaea teach that Gentiles cannot be saved unless they are circumcised after Moses’ manner, creating a major dispute. At Jerusalem Peter recalls Cornelius and says God purified Gentile hearts by faith, giving them the Holy Ghost without distinction. He rejects placing a yoke on Gentile disciples and declares salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. James cites Amos and proposes practical instructions to preserve holiness and fellowship. Later Paul and Barnabas separate over John Mark and form two ministry teams.

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Before you read Acts 15

Coming from

Paul and Barnabas preach in Iconium with both belief and violent opposition. At Lystra a lame man is healed, and the crowd mistakes the missionaries for gods; Paul and Barnabas tear their clothes and urge them to turn from vanities to the living Creator. Opponents later persuade the crowd to stone Paul, yet he survives and continues to Derbe. The missionaries retrace their route, strengthen disciples, appoint elders in every church, and report to Antioch what God has done among the Gentiles.

In this chapter

Acts 14 ended with Gentile churches established and the Antioch congregation hearing all God had done. Acts 15 asks whether those Gentiles must become Mosaic proselytes to be saved.

Leads into

Acts 16 begins the second missionary journey, adds Timothy to the team, crosses into Macedonia after a vision, and records the conversions of Lydia and the Philippian jailer.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The doctrinal issue is explicitly salvation: ‘Except ye be circumcised...ye cannot be saved.’ Peter’s answer is equally explicit: hearts are purified by faith, and both Jews and Gentiles are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The four instructions in the apostolic letter are not added conditions for eternal life. They address conduct especially important for separation from idolatry and fellowship in mixed Jewish-Gentile communities after salvation by grace has been settled.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Salvation is by grace through faith, not Mosaic law

The council rejects circumcision and law-keeping as necessary conditions for Gentile salvation.

God made no saving distinction between Jew and Gentile

Cornelius’s reception of the Holy Ghost is decisive evidence.

Doctrinal disputes should be resolved by truth, testimony, and Scripture

The church hears Peter, Paul and Barnabas, and James’s scriptural judgment.

Faithful believers can have sharp ministry disagreements

Paul and Barnabas separate over Mark without the narrative saying either preached a different gospel.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Acts 10:43–48

Peter’s argument depends on Gentiles receiving forgiveness and the Spirit through faith before circumcision or law-keeping.

Amos 9:11–12

James quotes the restoration of David’s tabernacle and Gentile inclusion.

Galatians 2:1–10

Paul recounts a Jerusalem discussion defending the gospel from compulsory circumcision.

Ephesians 2:8–18

Paul later explains salvation by grace through faith and the breaking down of Jew-Gentile hostility in Christ.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not use the council’s four instructions as four works required to be saved

The chapter first rejects law-keeping as a salvation condition.

Do not confuse freedom from the Mosaic law as a justification system with permission for idolatry or immorality

The letter still calls Gentile believers away from practices incompatible with Christian holiness and fellowship.

Do not claim Peter teaches two different salvation methods for Jews and Gentiles

He says “we shall be saved, even as they,” through grace.

Do not treat Paul and Barnabas’s disagreement as proof one lost salvation or apostolic standing

The conflict concerns ministry judgment about Mark.

Read Acts 15 watching for…

The exact claim made by the circumcision teachers.

Peter’s appeal to Cornelius.

The phrases ‘purifying their hearts by faith’ and ‘saved...through the grace.’

James’s use of Amos.

The purpose and wording of the apostolic letter.

The disagreement over John Mark and resulting teams.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-5Some demand circumcision for Gentile believers, and the matter is taken to Jerusalem 6-21Peter, Barnabas, Paul, and James testify that Gentiles are saved by grace and should not be burdened with the law 22-35The church sends a letter with chosen men to encourage Gentile believers 36-41Paul and Barnabas separate over John Mark and continue in different directions

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

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?

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.

Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.

And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.

But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

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Acts 15:28

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