The Council at Jerusalem

151 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.

Other Translations of Acts 15:1

New International Version

The Council at Jerusalem

151 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved."

English Standard Version

The Council at Jerusalem

151 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

The Message

The Council at Jerusalem

151 It wasn't long before some Jews showed up from Judea insisting that everyone be circumcised: "If you're not circumcised in the Mosaic fashion, you can't be saved."

New King James Version

The Council at Jerusalem

151 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

New Living Translation

The Council at Jerusalem

151 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers : "Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved."

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 15:1

Commentary on Acts 15:1-6

(Read Acts 15:1-6)

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.

2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

Other Translations of Galatians 5:2

New International Version

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.

English Standard Version

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.

The Message

2 I am emphatic about this. The moment any one of you submits to circumcision or any other rule-keeping system, at that same moment Christ's hard-won gift of freedom is squandered.

New King James Version

2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

New Living Translation

2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Galatians 5:2

Commentary on Galatians 5:1-6

(Read Galatians 5:1-6)

Christ will not be the Saviour of any who will not own and rely upon him as their only Saviour. Let us take heed to the warnings and persuasions of the apostle to stedfastness in the doctrine and liberty of the gospel. All true Christians, being taught by the Holy Spirit, wait for eternal life, the reward of righteousness, and the object of their hope, as the gift of God by faith in Christ; and not for the sake of their own works. The Jewish convert might observe the ceremonies or assert his liberty, the Gentile might disregard them or might attend to them, provided he did not depend upon them. No outward privileges or profession will avail to acceptance with God, without sincere faith in our Lord Jesus. True faith is a working grace; it works by love to God, and to our brethren. May we be of the number of those who, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. The danger of old was not in things of no consequence in themselves, as many forms and observances now are. But without faith working by love, all else is worthless, and compared with it other things are of small value.