Acts 15:40
in Acts 15but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but Paul chose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
KJV
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
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This verse in Acts 15
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd Paul chose Silas,.... To be his companion and assistant; this being the design of the Holy Ghost in influencing his, mind to stay longer at Antioch, after he, with Judas, was dismissed by the church to go to Jerusalem, Act 15:33. and departed; that is, from Antioch: being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God; See Gill on Act 13:
This site's exposition
Paul chose Silas
on Acts 15:40-41
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God, the same commendation Paul and Barnabas had received before their first sending, the church's blessing following the work even through its painful division. He went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches, retracing ground near his own home city of Tarsus before the mission turns west into territory the book has not yet covered. Silas, introduced at Jerusalem as a chief man and a prophet, now becomes Paul's regular companion for the chapters ahead.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"But Paul," it says, "departed, having chosen Silas, and being commended to the grace of God." What is this? They prayed it says: they besought God. See on all occasions how the prayer of the brethren can do great things.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
O how mighty is the grace of God! which in the midst of the world, in the midst of sin, among so many snares of Satan, and in spite of the incredible weakness and depravity of nature, yet overcomes all opposition, sanctifies, sustains, and preserves us to the end!
If ever there was a heaven upon earth, surely it was in the church at Antioch at this time, when there were so many excellent ministers there, and blessed Paul among them, building up that church in her most holy faith.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
and departed, being recommended . . . to the grace of God--(No doubt by some solemn service; see Ac 13:3), as in Ac 14:26. It does not follow from the historian's silence that Barnabas was not so recommended, too; for this is the last mention of Barnabas in the history, whose sole object now is to relate the proceedings of Paul.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Being recommended - unto the grace of God - Much stress has been laid upon this, to show that Barnabas was in the wrong, and Paul in the right, because “the brethren recommended Paul and Silas to the grace of God; but they did not recommend Barnabas and John Mark: this proves that the Church condemned the conduct of Barnabas, but approved that of Paul.” Now, there is no proof that the Church did not recommend Barnabas to the grace of God, as well as Paul; but, as St. Luke had for the present dropped the story of Barnabas, and was now going on with that of Paul and Silas, he begins it at this point, viz. his being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God; and then goes on to tell of his progress in Syria, Derbe, Lystra, etc., etc. See the next chapter.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Being recommended - Being commended by prayer to God. See notes on Act 14:26.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Παῦλος | paulos | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐπιλεξάμενος | epilexamenos | having chosen | G1951 → | |
| Σιλᾶν | silan | Silas | G4609 → | 12 times |
| ἐξῆλθεν | exelthen | went forth | G1831 → | 216 times |
| παραδοθεὶς | paradotheis | having been committed | G3860 → | 119 times |
| τῇ | tea | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χάριτι | chariti | grace | G5485 → | 153 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφῶν. | adelphon | brothers. | G80 → | 343 times |
ΠαῦλοςPaul
paulosG3972 →158 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐπιλεξάμενοςhaving chosen
epilexamenosG1951 →
ΣιλᾶνSilas
silanG4609 →12 times
ἐξῆλθενwent forth
exelthenG1831 →216 times
παραδοθεὶςhaving been committed
paradotheisG3860 →119 times
τῇto the
teaG3588 →19766 times
χάριτιgrace
charitiG5485 →153 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
κυρίουLord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφῶν.brothers.
adelphonG80 →343 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
1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of…
it leads to
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
- Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
- Philippians 4:13
Through
Acts 20:32And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.
it leads to
- Colossians 1:12
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
- Ephesians 1:14
who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.
- Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified…
- Colossians 3:24
because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- Ephesians 1:18
I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
- Colossians 1:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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 34; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.