Acts 15:21
in Acts 15For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.
KJV
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
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This verse in Acts 15
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For Moses - The meaning of this verse is, that the Law of Moses, prohibiting these things, was read in the synagogues constantly. As these commands wore constantly read, and as the Jewish converts would not soon learn that their ceremonial law had ceased to be binding, it was deemed to be a matter of expediency that no needless offence should be given to them. For the sake of peace, it was better that they should abstain from meat offered to idols than to give offence to the Jewish converts. Compare 1Co 8:10-13.Of old time - Greek: from ancient generations.
This site's exposition
It is my judgment
on Acts 15:19-21
James rules against troubling the Gentiles who are turning to God, laying neither circumcision nor the whole law on them. He asks them to abstain from four things most often tied to shared meals with Jewish believers.
This site's exposition
read in the synagogues on every Sabbath
Josephus writes that Moses ordered the people to gather every week to hear the law, and Luke shows the practice at 13:15 in Pisidian Antioch. Gentile God-fearers sat in those synagogues. They heard Moses every Sabbath.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day." Since then they had heard of the Law, with good reason he enjoins these things from the Law, that he may not seem to make it of no authority. And yet observe how he does not let them be told these things from the Law, but from himself, saying, It is not that I heard these things from the Law, but how? "We have judged." Then the decree is made in common. This above all quieted them. For this cause I affirm that it is good so to write to them. Then why do we not write the same injunctions to Jews also? Moses discourses unto them. See what condescension to their weakness! Where it did no harm, he set him up as teacher, and indulged them with a gratification which hindered nothing, by permitting Jews to hear him in regard of these matters, even while leading away from him them of the Gentiles. See what wisdom! He seems to honor him, and to set him up as the authority for his own people, and by this very thing he leads away the Gentiles from him!
And the churches, too, will wail with a mighty lamentation, because neither "oblation nor incense" is attended to, nor a service acceptable to God; but the sanctuaries of the churches will become like a garden-watcher's hut, and the holy body and blood of Christ will not be shown in those days. The public service of God shall be extinguished, psalmody shall cease, the reading of the Scriptures shall not be heard; but for men there shall be darkness, and lamentation on lamentation, and woe on woe.
The Medieval Church2 voices
For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him in the synagogues; that is, and if they are not burdened by the severity of the precepts now, yet with passage of time, as they more frequently gather for reading of the …
Before the coming of the Savior, Moses was read every Sabbath in the synagogues alone, but after His coming the Law of Moses was read without hindrance in the churches of Christ as well. And this is evident from the fact that it is read …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
"You cannot blame them if they have a great veneration for the law of Moses; for besides that they are very sure God spoke to Moses," (1.) "Moses is continually preached to them, and they are called upon to remember the law of Moses, " Mal. iv.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him,....
The result of this debate, and the circular letter that was written to the Gentile converts, directing them how to govern themselves with respect to Jews,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Moses of old time hath in every city - The sense of this verse seems to be this: As it was necessary to write to the Gentiles what was strictly necessary to be observed by them, relative to these points, it was not so to the converted Jews; for they had Moses, that is, the law, preached to them, κατα πολιν, in the city, that is, Antioch; and, by the reading of the law in the synagogues every Sabbath day, they were kept in remembrance of those institutions which the Gentiles, who had not the law, could not know. Therefore, James thought that a letter to the converted Gentiles would be sufficient, as the converted Jews had already ample instruction on these points.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Μωϋσῆς | mouses | Moses | G3475 → | 78 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| γενεῶν | geneon | generations | G1074 → | 43 times |
| ἀρχαίων | archaion | of old | G744 → | 11 times |
| κατὰ | kata | in every | G2596 → | 468 times |
| πόλιν | polin | city | G4172 → | 163 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κηρύσσοντας | kerussontas | proclaiming | G2784 → | 59 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἔχει | echei | he is | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ταῖς | tais | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συναγωγαῖς | sunagogais | synagogues | G4864 → | 56 times |
| κατὰ | kata | on | G2596 → | 468 times |
| πᾶν | pan | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| σάββατον | sabbaton | Sabbath | G4521 → | 68 times |
| ἀναγινωσκόμενος.¶ | anaginoskomenos | being read. | G314 → | 32 times |
ΜωϋσῆςMoses
mousesG3475 →78 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
γενεῶνgenerations
geneonG1074 →43 times
ἀρχαίωνof old
archaionG744 →11 times
κατὰin every
kataG2596 →468 times
πόλινcity
polinG4172 →163 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
κηρύσσονταςproclaiming
kerussontasG2784 →59 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἔχειhe is
echeiG2192 →707 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ταῖςthe
taisG3588 →19766 times
συναγωγαῖςsynagogues
sunagogaisG4864 →56 times
κατὰon
kataG2596 →468 times
πᾶνevery
panG3956 →1235 times
σάββατονSabbath
sabbatonG4521 →68 times
ἀναγινωσκόμενος.¶being read.
anaginoskomenosG314 →32 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 13:15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:22
I urge you, brothers, to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have only written to you briefly.
- Mark 5:22
A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet
- Hebrews 13:22
Through
Acts 13:27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
it leads to
- Acts 3:17
And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
- Acts 3:17
Through
Luke 4:16Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,
it leads to
- Matthew 2:23
and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
- Mark 6:1–3
Jesus went on from there and came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples.
- Matthew 13:54–55
Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked.
- Acts 13:14–16
And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.
- Acts 17:2
As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- Matthew 2:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Bede, Commentary on Acts; Hippolytus of Rome, Dubious and Spurious Pieces; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 33; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Josephus, Against Apion 2.175; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.