Acts 15:5

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

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Other translations

WEBBE

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

BSB

But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “ The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”

KJV

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.

ASV

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.

BBE

But some of the Pharisees, who were of the faith, got up and said, It is necessary for these to have circumcision and to keep the law of Moses.

Original Greek

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Ἐξανέστησαν Exanestēsan Rose up G1817 δέ de now G1161 τινες tines certain G5100 τῶν tōn of those G3588 ἀπὸ apo of G575 τῆς tēs the G3588 αἱρέσεως haireseōs sect G139 τῶν tōn of the G3588 Φαρισαίων Pharisaiōn Pharisees G5330 πεπιστευκότες pepisteukotes having believed G4100 λέγοντες legontes saying G3004 ὅτι hoti that G3754 δεῖ dei It is necessary G1163 περιτέμνειν peritemnein to circumcise G4059 αὐτοὺς autous them G846 παραγγέλλειν parangellein to command [them] G3853 τε te then G5037 τηρεῖν tērein to keep G5083 τὸν ton the G3588 νόμον nomon law G3551 Μωϋσέως.¶ Mōuseōs of Moses G3475

The early church

Great effrontery this, of the Pharisees, that even after faith they set up the Law, and will not obey the Apostles. But see these, how mildly they speak, and not in the tone of authority: such words are amiable, and more apt to fix themselves in the mind. Observe, it is nowhere a display of words, but demonstration by facts, by the Spirit. And yet, though they have such proofs, they still speak gently. But even if they would needs bring over the Gentiles to their side, they learn that neither must the Apostles overlook it.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–6

Some from Judea taught the Gentile converts at Antioch, that they could not be saved, unless they observed the whole ceremonial law as given by Moses; and thus they sought to destroy Christian liberty. There is a strange proneness in us to think that all do wrong who do not just as we do. Their doctrine was very discouraging. Wise and good men desire to avoid contests and disputes as far as they can; yet when false teachers oppose the main truths of the gospel, or bring in hurtful doctrines, we must not decline to oppose them.

Read Matthew Henry on Acts 15 →

Cross-references

7

People & places

Moses

Topics

CircumcisionPharisees

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