Acts 15:30

THE MESSAGE

And so off they went to Antioch. On arrival, they gathered the church and read the letter. The people were greatly relieved and pleased. Judas and Silas, good preachers both of them, strengthened their new friends with many words of courage and hope. Then it was time to go home. They were sent off by their new friends with laughter and embraces all around to report back to those who had sent them. Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of God. But they weren't alone. There were a number of teachers and preachers at that time in Antioch. After a few days of this, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's go back and visit all our friends in each of the towns where we preached the Word of God. Let's see how they're doing." Barnabas wanted to take John along, the John nicknamed Mark. But Paul wouldn't have him; he wasn't about to take along a quitter who, as soon as the going got tough, had jumped ship on them in Pamphylia. Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways: Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus; Paul chose Silas and, offered up by their friends to the grace of the Master, went to Syria and Cilicia to build up muscle and sinew in those congregations.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter.

King James Version (1611)
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they deliuered the Epistle.

King James Version
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

English Standard Version
So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

New American Standard Bible
So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and after gathering the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

New Century Version
So they left Jerusalem and went to Antioch where they gathered the church and gave them the letter.

Amplified Bible
So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and after assembling the congregation, they delivered the letter.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

Legacy Standard Bible
So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

Berean Standard Bible
So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.

Contemporary English Version
The four men left Jerusalem and went to Antioch. Then they called the church members together and gave them the letter.

Complete Jewish Bible
The messengers were sent off and went to Antioch, where they gathered the group together and delivered the letter.

Darby Translation
They therefore, being let go, came to Antioch, and having gathered the multitude delivered to [them] the epistle.

Easy-to-Read Version
So Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas left Jerusalem and went to Antioch. There they gathered the group of believers together and gave them the letter.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe when they were departed, they came to Antiochia, and after that they had assembled the multitude, they deliuered the Epistle.

George Lamsa Translation
Now when those who were sent came to An''ti-och and when the whole people were gathered together, they delivered the epistle:

Good News Translation
The messengers were sent off and went to Antioch, where they gathered the whole group of believers and gave them the letter.

Lexham English Bible
So when they were sent off, they came down to Antioch, and after calling together the community, they delivered the letter.

Literal Translation
Then they indeed being let go, they went to Antioch. And gathering the multitude, they delivered the letter.

American Standard Version
So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.

Bible in Basic English
So they, being sent away, came down to Antioch, and having got the people together, they gave them the letter.

Hebrew Names Version
So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.

International Standard Version
So the men were sent on their way and arrived in Antioch. They gathered the congregation together and delivered the letter.

Etheridge Translation
Now they who were sent came to Antiokia, and they assembled all the people and gave the epistle.

Murdock Translation
And they who were sent, came to Antioch, and assembled all the people, and delivered the letter.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe therfore, when they were departed, they came to Antioche, and gathered the multitude together, and delyuered the epistle.

English Revised Version
So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.

World English Bible
So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
So being dismissed they came to Antioch, and having assembled the multitude, they delivered the epistle:

Weymouth's New Testament
They, therefore, having been solemnly sent, came down to Antioch, where they called together the whole assembly and delivered the letter.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor thei weren let go, and camen doun to Antioche; and whanne the multitude was gaderid, thei token the epistle;

Update Bible Version
So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.

Webster's Bible Translation
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had convened the multitude, they delivered the epistle.

New English Translation
So when they were dismissed, they went down to Antioch, and after gathering the entire group together, they delivered the letter.

New King James Version
So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.

New Living Translation
The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter.

New Life Bible
When the meeting was finished, they went to Antioch. As soon as they gathered the people together, they gave them the letter.

New Revised Standard
So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They, therefore, being let go, came down unto Antioch; and, having gathered together the throng, delivered the letter,

Douay-Rheims Bible
They therefore, being dismissed, went down to Antioch and, gathering together the multitude, delivered the epistle.

Revised Standard Version
So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When they were departed they came to Antioche and gaddred the multitude togeder and delyvered ye pistle.

Young's Literal Translation
They then, indeed, having been let go, went to Antioch, and having brought the multitude together, did deliver the epistle,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan these were sent forth, they came vnto Antioche, and gathered the multitude together, and delyuered the epistle.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Being thus dispatch'd, they went to Antioch; where having assembled all the faithful, they deliver'd the letter: from the reading of which,

Simplified Cowboy Version
The messengers struck a long trot toward Antioch with the letter. As soon as they arrived, they gathered in all the cowboys who were riding for God and read them the letter.

Contextual Overview

²²Everyone agreed: apostles, leaders, all the people. They picked Judas (nicknamed Barsabbas) and Silas—they both carried considerable weight in the church—and sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas with this letter: From the apostles and leaders, your friends, to our friends in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Hello! ²⁴We heard that some men from our church went to you and said things that confused and upset you. Mind you, they had no authority from us; we didn't send them. We have agreed unanimously to pick representatives and send them to you with our good friends Barnabas and Paul. We picked men we knew you could trust, Judas and Silas—they've looked death in the face time and again for the sake of our Master Jesus Christ. We've sent them to confirm in a face-to-face meeting with you what we've written. ²⁸It seemed to the Holy Spirit and to us that you should not be saddled with any crushing burden, but be responsible only for these bare necessities: Be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians (blood, for instance); and guard the morality of sex and marriage. These guidelines are sufficient to keep relations congenial between us. And God be with you! ³⁰And so off they went to Antioch. On arrival, they gathered the church and read the letter. The people were greatly relieved and pleased. Judas and Silas, good preachers both of them, strengthened their new friends with many words of courage and hope. Then it was time to go home. They were sent off by their new friends with laughter and embraces all around to report back to those who had sent them. Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of God. But they weren't alone. There were a number of teachers and preachers at that time in Antioch. After a few days of this, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's go back and visit all our friends in each of the towns where we preached the Word of God. Let's see how they're doing." Barnabas wanted to take John along, the John nicknamed Mark. But Paul wouldn't have him; he wasn't about to take along a quitter who, as soon as the going got tough, had jumped ship on them in Pamphylia. Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways: Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus; Paul chose Silas and, offered up by their friends to the grace of the Master, went to Syria and Cilicia to build up muscle and sinew in those congregations. ³⁴To Let Outsiders Inside It wasn't long before some Jews showed up from Judea insisting that everyone be circumcised: "If you're not circumcised in the Mosaic fashion, you can't be saved." Paul and Barnabas were up on their feet at once in fierce protest. The church decided to resolve the matter by sending Paul, Barnabas, and a few others to put it before the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem. After they were sent off and on their way, they told everyone they met as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria about the breakthrough to the non-Jewish outsiders. Everyone who heard the news cheered—it was terrific news! When they got to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas were graciously received by the whole church, including the apostles and leaders. They reported on their recent journey and how God had used them to open things up to the outsiders. Some Pharisees stood up to say their piece. They had become believers, but continued to hold to the hard party line of the Pharisees. "You have to circumcise the pagan converts," they said. "You must make them keep the Law of Moses." The apostles and leaders called a special meeting to consider the matter. The arguments went on and on, back and forth, getting more and more heated. Then Peter took the floor: "Friends, you well know that from early on God made it quite plain that he wanted the pagans to hear the Message of this good news and embrace it—and not in any secondhand or roundabout way, but firsthand, straight from my mouth. And God, who can't be fooled by any pretense on our part but always knows a person's thoughts, gave them the Holy Spirit exactly as he gave him to us. He treated the outsiders exactly as he treated us, beginning at the very center of who they were and working from that center outward, cleaning up their lives as they trusted and believed him. "So why are you now trying to out-god God, loading these new believers down with rules that crushed our ancestors and crushed us, too? Don't we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?" There was dead silence. No one said a word. With the room quiet, Barnabas and Paul reported matter-of-factly on the miracles and wonders God had done among the other nations through their ministry. The silence deepened; you could hear a pin drop. James broke the silence. "Friends, listen. Simeon has told us the story of how God at the very outset made sure that racial outsiders were included. This is in perfect agreement with the words of the prophets: After this, I'm coming back; I'll rebuild David's ruined house; I'll put all the pieces together again; I'll make it look like new So outsiders who seek will find, so they'll have a place to come to, All the pagan peoples included in what I'm doing. "God said it and now he's doing it. It's no afterthought; he's always known he would do this. "So here is my decision: We're not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master. We'll write them a letter and tell them, ‘Be careful to not get involved in activities connected with idols, to guard the morality of sex and marriage, to not serve food offensive to Jewish Christians—blood, for instance.' This is basic wisdom from Moses, preached and honored for centuries now in city after city as we have met and kept the Sabbath." Everyone agreed: apostles, leaders, all the people. They picked Judas (nicknamed Barsabbas) and Silas—they both carried considerable weight in the church—and sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas with this letter: From the apostles and leaders, your friends, to our friends in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Hello! We heard that some men from our church went to you and said things that confused and upset you. Mind you, they had no authority from us; we didn't send them. We have agreed unanimously to pick representatives and send them to you with our good friends Barnabas and Paul. We picked men we knew you could trust, Judas and Silas—they've looked death in the face time and again for the sake of our Master Jesus Christ. We've sent them to confirm in a face-to-face meeting with you what we've written. It seemed to the Holy Spirit and to us that you should not be saddled with any crushing burden, but be responsible only for these bare necessities: Be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians (blood, for instance); and guard the morality of sex and marriage. These guidelines are sufficient to keep relations congenial between us. And God be with you! And so off they went to Antioch. On arrival, they gathered the church and read the letter. The people were greatly relieved and pleased. Judas and Silas, good preachers both of them, strengthened their new friends with many words of courage and hope. Then it was time to go home. They were sent off by their new friends with laughter and embraces all around to report back to those who had sent them. ³⁵ Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of God. But they weren't alone. There were a number of teachers and preachers at that time in Antioch.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and: Acts 6:2, Acts 21:22

delivered: Acts 16:4, Acts 23:33

Reciprocal: Acts 14:26 - to Antioch Acts 18:22 - he went Galatians 2:11 - to Antioch

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So when they were dismissed,.... That is, Paul and Barnabas, with Judas and Silas, by the apostles, elders, and church at Jerusalem:

they came to Antioch; or "came down to Antioch", as the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions read, agreeably to

Acts 15:1

and when they had gathered the multitude together; the whole church, which consisted of many members; the company, or congregation of the faithful, as the Arabic version renders it: and as Paul and Barnabas were sent by the church at Antioch; and as the letter, which they, with Judas and Silas, brought from Jerusalem, was directed and sent to the brethren at Antioch, it was highly reasonable, and necessary, that they should be called together, and an account of the business they were sent upon be given them, and the letter be delivered to them, as it accordingly was:

they delivered the epistle; sent by the apostles, elders, and brethren at Jerusalem to them; this they put into the hands of some one or other of the brethren of the church, in order to be read.