Acts 15:7-21 NKJV,NLT

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:14

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles ,.... James begins with taking notice of Peter's speech, and agrees to it, and confirms it; for by Simeon is not meant, as some have thought, the Simeon that took Christ in his arms, Luke 2:25 who had been dead long ago; but Simon Peter, who had spoken before. Simon and Simeon are one and the same name; the former is only a contraction of the latter in the Syriac language; Simeon was his pure Hebrew name, and James speaking... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:15

And to this agree the words of the prophets ,.... In several of the prophecies of the Old Testament, which plainly speak of the calling of the Gentiles; though James thought it sufficient to produce only one instead of many: as it is written ; in Amos 9:11 and this is agreeably to the Jewish way of citing Scriptures, as Surenhusius observes; so it is said F17 T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 86, 2. & Beracot, fol. 4. 1, 2. , in twenty four places the priests are called Levites, and this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:16

After this I will return ,.... That is, after the Lord had destroyed the sinful kingdom from off the face of the earth, and had sifted the house of Israel among all nations, and the sinners of his people were slain with the sword; after all this he promises to return and show favour to them: this is the sense of the prophet which James gives; for these words are not at length in Amos; there it is only said, "in that day"; upon which Jarchi's note is, "after all these things shall have come... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:17

That the residue of men might seek after the Lord ,.... The rebuilder and proprietor of this tabernacle, and who dwells in it; that is, attend his worship, pray unto him, and seek unto him for life and salvation: in Amos these are called, "the remnant of Edom": and design the remnant according to the election of grace among the Gentiles; the Jews generally call all other nations, and especially the Roman empire, Edom: and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called ; for God is the God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:18

Known unto God are all his works ,.... These are the words of James, and not of Amos; all the things which God does in the church and in the world, they were all foreknown and predetermined by him: from the beginning of the world; or from eternity; even all his works of creation, providence and grace: the Alexandrian copy, and Beza's most ancient copy, and the Vulgate Latin version, read in the singular number, "his work"; the work of the conversion of the Gentiles; this was fixed and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:19

Wherefore my sentence is ,.... Opinion or judgment in this case, or what he reckoned most advisable to be done; for he did not impose his sense upon the whole body, but proposed it to them: that we trouble not them ; by obliging them to be circumcised, which would have been very afflicting and disturbing to them; not only because of the corporeal pain produced by circumcision, but because of the bondage their minds would be brought into, and they become subject to the whole law, and all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:20

But that we write unto them ,.... Or send an epistle to them, to this effect, concerning the following things: that they abstain from pollutions of idols ; that is, from eating things offered to idols; see Acts 15:29 for not idolatry, or the worshipping of idols itself, is here spoken of; for that was no indifferent thing; and besides, these converted Gentiles were turned from that, and there was no danger of their returning to it; but eating things sacrificed to idols was an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:21

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him ,.... That is, for many years past, even from the times of Ezra, the law of Moses has been publicly expounded by them, whom the Jews call Derashim, preachers, or expounders, in every city where there was a synagogue; and every city belonging to the Jews, were obliged to build a synagogue, yea, they were obliged to do it where there were but ten Israelites F14 Maimon. Tephilla, c. 11. sect. 1. : this is given by James as a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 15:7

When there had been much disputing - By those of the sect of the believing Pharisees; for they strongly contended for circumcision, and at the head of these, tradition tells us, was Cerinthus, a name famous in the primitive Church, as one who labored to unite the law and the Gospel, and to make the salvation promised by the latter dependent on the performance of the rites and ceremonies prescribed by the former. Though the apostles and elders were under the inspiration of the Almighty, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 15:8

And God which knoweth the hearts - Ο καρδιογνωϚης Θεος . We had this epithet of the Divine Being once before; see Acts 1:24 , and the note there: it occurs no where else in the New Testament. Bare them witness - Considered them as proper or fit to receive the Gospel of Christ. It is properly remarked by learned men, that μαρτυρειν τινι , to bear witness to any person, signifies to approve, to testify in behalf of. Here it signifies that, as God evidently sent the Gospel to the... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:21

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 15:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 15:8

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