When they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to me!
Parallel translations
- WEB After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me.
- KJV And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
- NKJV And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me:
- NASB After they stopped speaking, James responded, saying, “Brothers, listen to me.
- NLT When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When they finished, James spoke as a leader of the Jerusalem church. James, respected for his Jewish piety, gave the decisive summing-up.
Overview
James, the Lord's brother and a leading figure in Jerusalem, carried particular authority with Jewish believers. His willingness to address the question signaled that even the most law-honoring would weigh the evidence fairly. His judgment, rooted in Scripture, would help unite the council around grace.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Acts 12:17Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.
- Jas 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
- Gal 2:12For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group.
- Gal 2:9And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
- Acts 21:18The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.
- Mark 15:40And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
- Acts 2:14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.
- Acts 2:29Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
- Gal 1:19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
- Acts 7:2And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
- Acts 2:22Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
- 1 Cor 14:30–33And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop.
- Jas 1:19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Acts 22:1“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 15:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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