Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
Parallel translations
- WEB As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.
- KJV And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
- BSB As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.
- NKJV And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.
- NASB Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the ordinances for them to follow which had been determined by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
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
Paul and his team delivered the Jerusalem Council's decisions to the churches as they traveled.
Overview
The decrees from Acts 15 affirmed that Gentiles need not keep the law of Moses to be saved, asking only for a few sensitivities toward Jewish believers. Carrying these rulings tied the young churches together under shared apostolic teaching. It models how gospel unity is maintained: not by isolation, but by submission to the truth handed down by Christ's appointed leaders.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Acts 15:28–29For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:
- Acts 15:2Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
- Acts 15:6The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.
- Acts 11:30which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
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 16:4 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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