Acts 15:41
in Acts 15And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
KJV
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
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This verse in Acts 15
Commentary
8 notes on this verseBefore going to other cities, he visits those which had already received the word of God. We do the same: we first instruct the earliest people, so that they do not become an obstacle to the instruction of those who come after.
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
"And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches." And now he journeyed by land, wishing even by his journeying to benefit those who saw him. For when indeed they were in haste they sailed, but now not so. "And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra." Mark the wisdom of Paul: he does not go to other cities before he has visited them which had received the Word. For it is folly to run at random. This let us also do: let us teach the first in the first place, that these may not become an hindrance to them that are to come after.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And he went through Syria and Cilicia,.... Antioch was the metropolis of the former, and Tarsus, the apostle's native place, was in the latter; and in both these countries he had been before, and had been the instrument of converting many souls, and of planting churches, which he now visited, as he proposed to Barnabas to do: for it follows, confirming the churches; in the Gospel, and the truths and ordinances of it, he had before instructed them in: of the church at Antioch; see Gill on Act 11:
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
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Syria and Cilicia - These were countries lying near to each other, which Paul, in company with Barnabas, had before visited. Confirming the churches - Strengthening them by instruction and exhortation. It has no reference to the rite of confirmation. See the notes on Act 14:22. In regard to this unhappy contention between Paul and Barnabas, and their separation from each other, we may make the following remarks: (1) That no apology or vindication of it is offered by the sacred writer. It was undoubtedly improper and evil.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
and he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches--"It is very likely that Paul and Barnabas made a deliberate and amicable arrangement to divide the region of their first mission between them;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+odd-straight-quotes
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Confirming the Churches - This was the object of his journey: they were young converts, and had need of establishment; and there is no doubt that, by showing them the decision made at the late council of Jerusalem, their faith was greatly strengthened, their hope confirmed, and their love increased. It was this consideration, no doubt, that led some ancient MSS. and some versions to add here, They delivered them the decrees of the apostles and elders to keep; which clause certainly was not an original part of the text, but seems to have been borrowed from the fourth verse of the following chapter. Some have thought that the fourth and fifth verses of the next chapter really belong to this place; or that the first, second, and third verses of it should be read in a parenthesis; but of this there does not appear to be any particular necessity.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διήρχετο | diercheto | He was passing through | G1330 → | 43 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Συρίαν | surian | Syria | G4947 → | 8 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Κιλικίαν | kilikian | Cilicia | G2791 → | 8 times |
| ἐπιστηρίζων | episterizon | strengthening | G1991 → | 4 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐκκλησίας.¶ | ekklesias | churches. | G1577 → | 113 times |
διήρχετοHe was passing through
dierchetoG1330 →43 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ΣυρίανSyria
surianG4947 →8 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ΚιλικίανCilicia
kilikianG2791 →8 times
ἐπιστηρίζωνstrengthening
episterizonG1991 →4 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἐκκλησίας.¶churches.
ekklesiasG1577 →113 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 15:32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
it leads to
- Acts 13:1
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 11:23
When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.
- Acts 13:1
Through
Acts 6:9But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They began to argue with Stephen,
it leads to
- Acts 15:23
and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 15:23
Through
Acts 15:23and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
it leads to
- Acts 23:26
Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
- James 1:1
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
- Galatians 1:21
Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
- Acts 15:22
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among…
- Acts 23:26
Through
Galatians 1:21Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
it leads to
- Acts 6:9
But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They began to argue with Stephen,
- Acts 6:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
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About Acts
This page draws on 9 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); 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; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.