For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Parallel translations
- WEB For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:
- BSB It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:
- NKJV For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
- NASB For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:
- NLT “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:
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
The decision seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to them, imposing no greater burden than necessary. The ruling was guided by the Spirit and freed Gentiles from the yoke of the law.
Overview
The striking phrase 'it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us' claims divine guidance for the council's judgment. The deliberate refusal to add burdens beyond a few necessary items protects the gospel of grace. This verse shows the Spirit working through the church's prayerful, scriptural deliberation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Matt 11:30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
- John 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
- Rev 2:24But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
- 1 Pet 1:12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
- 1 Cor 14:37If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
- 1 Cor 7:40But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
- Acts 5:32And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
- Acts 15:19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
- Acts 15:8And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
- Matt 23:4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
- Acts 15:25It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
- 1 Th 4:8He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
- 1 Cor 7:25Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 15:28 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.