Skip to content
mannafest.faith

Acts 15:32

in Acts 15

Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

KJV

And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

This verse in Acts 15

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Judas and Silas, being prophets - That is, being teachers in the Church. This signification of the word prophet we have often already seen. See the notes on Act 11:27; Act 13:1. Exhorted the brethren - To abide steadily attached to God, and to each other, in peace, love, and unity. And confirmed them - In the blessed truths they had already received.

This site's exposition

gathered the multitude together

on Acts 15:30-33

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle, the whole church hearing the decision rather than only its leaders, and which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation, the burden lifted exactly as the letter intended. Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them, the written decree reinforced by living ministry rather than left to stand alone on paper. After they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles, the matter closing without any recorded resentment on either side.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 33 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the Apostles." No more factions and fightings, but thenceforth Paul taught. After the epistle, then Judas and Silas also themselves exhort them by word: for this also was needful, that Paul and Barnabas might be quit of all suspicion. "Being prophets also themselves," it says, exhorted the brethren "with many words." It shows here the right that Paul and Barnabas have to be believed. For Paul also might have done this, but it behooved to be done by these.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And Judas and Silas being also prophets themselves,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

they rejoiced for the consolation--As the same word is in Ac 15:31 properly rendered "exhorted," the meaning probably is "rejoiced for the exhortation" (Margin), or advice; so wise in itself and so contrary to the imposition attempted to be practiced upon them by the Judaizers.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

Being prophets - See the notes on Act 11:27. This evidently implies that they had been preachers before they went to Antioch. What was the precise nature of the office of a prophet in the Christian church it is not easy to ascertain. Possibly it may imply that they were teachers of unusual or remark able ability. Compare the notes on Rom 12:6. Confirmed them - Strengthened them; that is, by their instructions and exhortations. See the notes on Act 14:22.

The words behind it

16 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 14:22

    strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

    it leads to

    • 1 Peter 5:10

      And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…

    • 2 Timothy 3:12

      Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

    • John 16:33

      I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

    • Romans 8:17

      And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

    • 1 Thessalonians 3:2–4

      We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,

  • Through

    1 Thessalonians 5:14

    And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

    it leads to

    • 2 Timothy 4:2

      Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.

    • Romans 14:1

      Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.

    • Acts 20:35

      In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Where this verse is studied

On this page

About Acts

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 33; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.