For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:
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:
- KJV For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden 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:
- 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 16:13However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.
- Rev 2:24But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don’t have this teaching, who don’t know what some call ‘the deep things of Satan,’ to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.
- 1 Pet 1:12To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
- 1 Cor 14:37If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.
- 1 Cor 7:40But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.
- Acts 5:32We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
- Acts 15:19“Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,
- Acts 15:8God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us.
- Matt 23:4For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.
- Acts 15:25it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
- 1 Th 4:8Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
- 1 Cor 7:25Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.
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.