When they had finished, James stood and said, “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:
- 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.
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 to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James, and to the brothers.” Then he departed, and went to another place.
- Jas 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.
- Gal 2:12For before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
- Gal 2:9and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.
- Acts 21:18The day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.
- Mark 15:40There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both 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 spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
- Acts 2:29“Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
- Gal 1:19But of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord’s brother.
- Acts 7:2He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
- Acts 2:22“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,
- 1 Cor 14:30–33But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent.
- Jas 1:19So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
- Acts 22:1“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to 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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