Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles.
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.
- BSB Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own.
- NKJV Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.
- 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 have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
- Acts 15:7–9When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe.
- Luke 2:31–32which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;
- Isa 43:21the people which I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise.
- 1 Pet 2:9–10But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
- Rom 1:5through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name’s sake;
- Isa 55:11–13so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
- Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
- Rom 11:36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
- Luke 1:78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,
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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