Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own.
Parallel translations
- WEB Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations, to take out of them a people for his name.
- KJV Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
- NKJV Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.
- NASB Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles.
- NLT Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.
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
James notes that God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for His name. God's purpose was always to gather a people from all nations.
Overview
Referring to Peter (Simeon) and Cornelius, James affirms that God deliberately began saving Gentiles. The phrase 'a people for his name' applies covenant language once reserved for Israel to believing Gentiles. This shows the church as God's expanded people drawn from every nation, fulfilling His ancient purpose in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Pet 1:1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
- Acts 15:7–9After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
- Luke 2:31–32which You have prepared in the sight of all people,
- Isa 43:21The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.
- 1 Pet 2:9–10But 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.
- Rom 1:5Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
- Isa 55:11–13so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
- Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
- Rom 11:36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.
- Luke 1:78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
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 15:14 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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