Acts 15:35 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

NIV: But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

NASB: But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

CSB: But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.

NLT: Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there.

KJV: Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

NKJV: Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Many years before, in response to Paul's persecution against the church, Jewish Jesus-followers from Cyprus and Cyrene fled Jerusalem. They traveled 300 miles north to Syrian Antioch. They were the first to spread the offer of salvation through Jesus to not just Jews but to a significant number of Gentiles. In response, the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to determine if their faith was legitimate. Barnabas found a community of new believers hungry for spiritual training. He sent for Paul, who had since come to faith in Christ, to help him disciple the young church (Acts 11:19–26).

Paul and Barnabas have spent significant time sharing the gospel and bringing Jews and Gentiles together as one people under Christ (Acts 13—14). A recent attack by Jewish believers from the sect of the Pharisees threatened that unity, but the apostles and elders from the church in Jerusalem have again affirmed their attachment (Acts 15:1–33).

Syrian Antioch was one of five different cities named "Antioch" and the third largest city in the Roman Empire. Only twenty miles from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, it was a trade hub between Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Europe. It was here that Jesus-followers were first called "Christians," likely in a derogatory attack that the believers turned into a mark of honor (Acts 11:26). In the ensuing centuries, scholars and theologians from Syrian Antioch were active in illuminating biblical theological truths that we still hold today.

Acts 15:30–35 depicts the delivery of a resolution about Gentiles in the church. Jewish Christians from Judea had come to Syrian Antioch and insisted Gentile believers must first convert to Judaism. The Antiochenes took their objections to the leadership in Jerusalem. The church in Jerusalem sided with the Antiochenes, but required they make cultural concessions so Jews felt free to worship and live with them in unity (Acts 15:1–29). Now, the church in Antioch rejoices. Not only are they officially free from the Mosaic law, they are warmly unified with the apostles and the first church in Jerusalem.

Paul and Barnabas are in Syrian Antioch, home from their first missionary journey. Legalistic Christians from Jerusalem arrive and insist Gentiles must convert to Judaism. When negotiations fail, a delegation travels to Jerusalem to request clarification from Jesus' closest students. The leadership in Jerusalem agree with Paul and Barnabas. They write a letter that Gentiles should only make concessions, mostly dietary, which will ensure unity with the Jews in their congregation. After delivering the letter to Antioch, Paul takes Silas and Barnabas takes John Mark to share the letter to other churches they have planted.

Acts chapter 15 resembles Acts 11:1–18, where Peter testified before the leadership of the church in Jerusalem. His subject was how the Holy Spirit had fallen on uncircumcised and unbaptized Gentiles. Here Paul and Barnabas also testify that Gentiles are coming to faith in Jesus without being circumcised. The issue the leadership must decide is the extent Gentiles must be responsible to follow the Mosaic law. Their decision is that the Law is in no way required to be saved, but Gentiles should graciously make concessions so their Jewish brothers and sisters feel free to live in community. This forms a partial background to the rest of Paul's missionary journeys as explained in Acts.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.