151 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren , "Unless e you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses , you cannot e be saved ." 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great e dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue . 3 Therefore , being sent on their way by the church , they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria , describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles , and were bringing great joy to all the brethren . 4 When they arrived at Jerusalem , they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders , and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying , "It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses ."
6 The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter . 7 After there had been much debate , Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren e , you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe . 8 "And God , who knows the heart , testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit , just as He also did to us; 9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith . 10 "Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear ? 11 "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus , in the same way as they also are." 12 All the people kept silent , and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles . 13 After they had stopped speaking , James answered , saying , "Brethren e , listen to me. 14 " Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name . 15 "With this the words of the Prophets agree , just as it is written , 16 ' AFTER THESE THINGS I will return , AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN , AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS , AND I WILL RESTORE IT, 17 SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE Lord , AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME ,' 18 SAYS THE Lord , WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO . 19 "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles , 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood . 21 "For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 15:1-21
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.
Commentary on Acts 15:7-21
(Read Acts 15:7-21)
We see from the words "purifying their hearts by faith," and the address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctification by the Holy Ghost, cannot be separated; and that both are the gift of God. We have great cause to bless God that we have heard the gospel. May we have that faith which the great Searcher of hearts approves, and attests by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Then our hearts and consciences will be purified from the guilt of sin, and we shall be freed from the burdens some try to lay upon the disciples of Christ. Paul and Barnabas showed by plain matters of fact, that God owned the preaching of the pure gospel to the Gentiles without the law of Moses; therefore to press that law upon them, was to undo what God had done. The opinion of James was, that the Gentile converts ought not to be troubled about Jewish rites, but that they should abstain from meats offered to idols, so that they might show their hatred of idolatry. Also, that they should be cautioned against fornication, which was not abhorred by the Gentiles as it should be, and even formed a part of some of their rites. They were counselled to abstain from things strangled, and from eating blood; this was forbidden by the law of Moses, and also here, from reverence to the blood of the sacrifices, which being then still offered, it would needlessly grieve the Jewish converts, and further prejudice the unconverted Jews. But as the reason has long ceased, we are left free in this, as in the like matters. Let converts be warned to avoid all appearances of the evils which they formerly practised, or are likely to be tempted to; and caution them to use Christian liberty with moderation and prudence.