Acts 15:17
in Acts 15so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
KJV
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
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This verse in Acts 15
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
That the residue of men - This verse is quoted literally from the Septuagint, and differs in some respects from the Hebrew. The phrase, “the residue of men,” here is evidently understood, both by the Septuagint and by James, as referring to others than Jews, to the Gentiles the rest of the world - implying that many of them would be admitted to the friendship and favor of God. The Hebrew is, “that they may possess the remnant of Edom.” This change is made in the Septuagint by a slight difference in the reading of two Hebrew words.
This site's exposition
words of the prophets
on Acts 15:15-18
James cites Amos 9:11 to 12, reading the inclusion of the Gentiles as the restoration of the fallen tent of David. The line so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord follows the Septuagint, which reads seek where the Hebrew reads possess.
This site's exposition
the Gentiles who are called by My name
To be called by the name of the LORD marked a people as His own, and Deuteronomy 28:10 says it of Israel. Amos sets whole nations under that name. Gill reads the phrase of Gentiles called by grace and owned as God's people.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up." What? was Jerusalem raised up? Was it not rather thrown down? What sort of raising up does he call that which took place after the return from Babylon? "That the residue of men," he says, "may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles upon whom My Name is called." Then, what makes his word authoritative: "Saith the Lord, which doeth all these things." But if one would look into the matter closely, the kingdom of David does in fact now stand, his Offspring reigning everywhere. For what is the good of the buildings and the city, with none obeying there? And what is the harm arising from the destruction of the city, when all are willing to give their very souls? There is that come which is more illustrious than David: in all parts of the world is he now sung. This has come to pass: if so, then must this also come to pass, "And I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:" to what end? "that the residue of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom My Name is called." If then it was to this end that the city rose again namely because of Him that was to come of them, it shows that of the building of the city the cause is, the calling of the Gentiles. Who are "the residue?" those who are then left. "And all the Gentiles, upon whom My Name is called:" but observe, how he keeps the due order, and brings them in second.
The Jews understood this to refer to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after the exile. But this is not true, for that temple was destroyed many times thereafter; the prophecy promises an everlasting rebuilding. Those who say it refers to Zerubbabel have not …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Then Israel shall possess the remnant of Edom (so it is in the Hebrew); but the Jews called all the Gentiles Edomites, and therefore the Septuagint leave out the particular mention of Edom, and read it just as it is here, that the residue of men might seek (James here adds, after the Lord), and all the Gentiles, or heathen, upon whom my name is called.
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord,....
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,
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Simeon--a Hebrew variation of Simon, as in 2Pe 1:1; (Greek), the Jewish and family name of Peter. hath declared how God at the first--answering to Peter's own expression "a good while ago" (Ac 15:7). did visit the Gentiles to take out of them--in the exercise of His adorable sovereignty. a people for his name--the honor of his name, or for His glory.
That the residue of men might seek - Instead of this, the Hebrew has, That they may possess the remnant of Edom. Now it is evident that, in the copy from which the Seventy translated, they found ידרשו yidreshu, they might seek, instead of יירשו yireshu, they may possess, where the whole difference between the two words is the change of the י yod for a ד daleth, which might be easily done; and they found אדם adam, man, or men, instead of אדום Edom, the Idumeans, which differs from the other only by the insertion of ו vau between the two last letters. None of the MSS. collated by Kennicott and De Rossi confirm these readings, in which the Septuagint, Arabic, and St. James agree. It shows, however, that even in Jerusalem, and in the early part of the apostolic age, the Septuagint version was quoted in preference to the Hebrew text; or, what is tantamount, was quoted in cases where we would have thought the Hebrew text should have been preferred, because better understood. But God was evidently preparing the way of the Gospel by bringing this venerable version into general credit and use; which was to be the means of conveying the truths of Christianity to the whole Gentile world. How precious should this august and most important version be to every Christian, and especially to every Christian minister! A version, without which no man ever did or ever can critically understand the New Testament. And I may add that, without the assistance afforded by this version, there never could have been a correct translation of the Hebrew text, since that language ceased to be vernacular, into any language. Without it, even St. Jerome could have done little in translating the Old Testament into Latin; and how much all the modern versions owe to St. Jerome’s Vulgate, which owes so much to the Septuagint, most Biblical scholars know.
The words behind it
25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὅπως | hopos | so that | G3704 → | 52 times |
| ἂν | an | when | G302 → | 165 times |
| ἐκζητήσωσιν | ekzetesosin | may seek out | G1567 → | |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατάλοιποι | kataloipoi | remnant | G2645 → | |
| τῶν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώπων | anthropon | of men | G444 → | 549 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριον | kurion | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πάντα | panta | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθνη, | ethne | Gentiles, | G1484 → | 161 times |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| οὓς | hous | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐπικέκληται | epikekletai | has been called | G1941 → | 30 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὄνομά | onoma | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| μου | mou | of Me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| αὐτούς, | autous | them, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λέγει | legei | says | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| κύριος | kurios | [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ποιῶν | poion | is doing | G4160 → | 569 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
ὅπωςso that
hoposG3704 →52 times
ἂνwhen
anG302 →165 times
ἐκζητήσωσινmay seek out
ekzetesosinG1567 →
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
κατάλοιποιremnant
kataloipoiG2645 →
τῶν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώπωνof men
anthroponG444 →549 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
κύριονLord
kurionG2962 →711 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πάνταall
pantaG3956 →1235 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ἔθνη,Gentiles,
ethneG1484 →161 times
ἐφ᾽upon
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
οὓςwhom
housG3739 →1405 times
ἐπικέκληταιhas been called
epikekletaiG1941 →30 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ὄνομάname
onomaG3686 →227 times
μουof Me
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἐπ᾽upon
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
αὐτούς,them,
autousG846 →5565 times
λέγειsays
legeiG3004 →1325 times
κύριος[the] Lord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
ποιῶνis doing
poionG4160 →569 times
ταῦταthese things
tautaG3778 →1381 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
Hosea 2:23And I will sow her as My own in the land, and I will have compassion on ‘No Compassion.’ I will say to those called ‘Not My People,’ ‘You are My people,’ and they…
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:9–10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 9:25–26
As He says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people, and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”
- Zechariah 13:9
This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They…
- Hosea 1:9–10
And the LORD said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people, and I am not your God.
- Romans 3:29
Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
- 1 Peter 2:9–10
Through
Isaiah 65:1“I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that did not call My name, I said, ‘Here I…
it leads to
- Romans 10:20
And Isaiah boldly says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.”
- Romans 9:24–26
including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
- 1 Peter 2:10
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- Romans 10:20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies19
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
This page draws on 10 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 on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 33; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.