And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Parallel translations
- WEB After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me.
- BSB When they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to 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 12:17But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
- Jas 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
- Gal 2:12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
- Gal 2:9And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
- Acts 21:18And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
- Mark 15:40There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
- Acts 2:14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
- Acts 2:29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
- Gal 1:19But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
- Acts 7:2And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
- Acts 2:22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
- 1 Cor 14:30–33If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
- Jas 1:19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
- Acts 22:1Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
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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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