Acts 15:28

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

BSB

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:

KJV

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

ASV

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

BBE

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to put on you nothing more than these necessary things;

Original Greek

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The early church

"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us" - it is not man's doing, it says - "to lay upon you no greater burden" - again it calls the Law a burden: then apologizing even for these injunctions - "save these necessary things." For that was a superfluous burden. See here a brief Epistle, with nothing more in it than was needed, neither arts of persuasion nor reasonings, but simply a command: for it was the Spirit's legislating. "For it seemed good," say they, "to the Holy Ghost and to us": not making themselves equal to Him - they are not so mad. But why does it put this so? Why did they add, "And to us," and yet it had sufficed to say, "To the Holy Ghost?" The one, "To the Holy Ghost," that they may not deem it to be of man; the other, "To us," that they may be taught that they also themselves admit the Gentiles, although themselves being in circumcision. They have to speak to men who are still weak and afraid of them: this is the reason why this also is added. And it shows that it is not by way of condescension that they speak, neither because they spared them, nor as considering them weak, but the contrary; for great was the reverence of the teachers also.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 22–35

Being warranted to declare themselves directed by the immediate influence of the Holy Ghost, the apostles and disciples were assured that it seemed good unto God the Holy Spirit, as well as to them, to lay upon the converts no other burden than the things before mentioned, which were necessary, either on their own account, or from present circumstances. It was a comfort to hear that carnal ordinances were no longer imposed on them, which perplexed the conscience, but could not purify or pacify it; and that those who troubled their minds were silenced, so that the peace of the church was restored, and that which threatened division was removed. All this was consolation for which they blessed God. Many others were at Antioch. Where many labour in the word and doctrine, yet there may be opportunity for us: the zeal and usefulness of others should stir us up, not lay us asleep.

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Cross-references

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Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.