Acts 15:19
in Acts 15It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God;
KJV
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
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This verse in Acts 15
Commentary
9 notes on this verse"Therefore I judge not to trouble." That is, not to upset matters, because if God called them, and these impositions upset the calling, then we are opposing God. He speaks with authority: I "judge."
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.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Wherefore," saith he, "my sentence is, not to trouble them which from among the Gentiles do turn unto God," that is, not to subvert: for, if God called them, and these observances subvert, we fight against God. And again, "them which from the Gentiles," he saith, "do turn." And he says well, with authority, the "my sentence is." He does not say, Not to offend, nor to turn them back, which is what Paul said to the Galatians, but, "not to trouble them:" he shows that the point if carried is nothing but a mere troubling. Thus he made an end of the whole matter; and while he seems to preserve the Law by adopting these rules from it, he unbinds it by taking only these.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The kingdom of God, in which they are to be trained up, is not meat and drink, neither the opposition nor the imposition of indifferent things, which will but trouble them; but it is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, which we are sure will trouble nobody.
Wherefore my sentence is,....
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
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
My sentence - Greek: I judge κρίνω krinō that is, I give my opinion. It is the usual language in which a judge delivers his opinion; but it does not imply here that James assumed authority to settle the case, but merely that he gave his opinion, or counsel. That we trouble not them - That we do not molest, disturb, or oppress them by imposing on them unnecessary fires and ceremonies.
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)
Wherefore, my sentence--or "judgment." is, that we trouble not--with Jewish obligations. them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God--rather, "are turning." The work is regarded as in progress, and indeed was rapidly advancing.
Wherefore my sentence is - Διο εγω κρινω, Wherefore I judge. There is an authority here that does not appear in the speech of St. Peter; and this authority was felt and bowed to by all the council; and the decree proposed by St. James adopted.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διὸ | dio | Therefore | G1352 → | 53 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| κρίνω | krino | judge | G2919 → | 114 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| παρενοχλεῖν | parenochlein | to trouble | G3926 → | |
| τοῖς | tois | those who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐθνῶν | ethnon | Gentiles | G1484 → | 161 times |
| ἐπιστρέφουσιν | epistrephousin | are turning | G1994 → | 36 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | to | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεόν, | theon | God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
διὸTherefore
dioG1352 →53 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
κρίνωjudge
krinoG2919 →114 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
παρενοχλεῖνto trouble
parenochleinG3926 →
τοῖςthose who
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἐθνῶνGentiles
ethnonG1484 →161 times
ἐπιστρέφουσινare turning
epistrephousinG1994 →36 times
ἐπὶto
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεόν,God,
theonG2316 →1312 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
Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely…
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- James 4:8–10
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Ezekiel 18:21–23
But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.
- Isaiah 44:22
I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
- Luke 15:10
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
- Proverbs 28:13
Through
1 Thessalonians 1:9For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 4:10
To this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, and especially of those who believe.
- 1 Timothy 4:10
Through
Acts 15:24It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:12
As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!
- Acts 15:1
Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
- Galatians 5:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies19
On this verse
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 Acts of the Apostles; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.