Acts 15:14

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Shim‘on has told in detail what God did when he first began to show his concern for taking from among the Goyim a people to bear his name.

Berean Standard Bible:

Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own.

American Standard Version:

Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Simeon^{G4826} hath declared^{G1834} how^{G2531} God^{G2316} at the first^{G4412} did visit^{G1980} the Gentiles^{G1484}, to take^{G2983} out of^{G1537} them a people^{G2992} for^{G1909} his^{G846} name^{G3686}.

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Commentary for Acts 15:14

Acts 15:14 is a verse that captures a pivotal moment in the early Christian church, reflecting the theme of the expansion of the Gospel to the Gentiles (non-Jews). This verse is part of a larger narrative known as the Council of Jerusalem, which took place around 49-50 AD. The council was convened to address the question of whether Gentile converts to Christianity needed to follow Jewish law, particularly circumcision, to be saved.

In this verse, James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the Jerusalem church, refers to the testimony of Simeon, also known as Simon Peter. Peter had recently experienced a vision and had been instrumental in the conversion of the Roman centurion Cornelius and his household, as recounted in Acts 10. This event was a significant revelation that God was accepting Gentiles into the Christian faith without requiring them to become Jews first.

The phrase "God at the first did visit the Gentiles" suggests that God's plan from the beginning included the salvation of all people, not just the Jews. This was a radical idea at the time, as Judaism was an ethnically based religion. The latter part of the verse, "to take out of them a people for his name," indicates that God's intention was to form a new community of believers, a people set apart for His glory, regardless of their ethnic background.

This verse and the broader context of Acts 15 underscore the universal scope of the Christian message and the early church's struggle to understand and implement this new inclusive vision. It marks a critical turning point in Christian history, where the Gospel began to be seen as a message for all humanity, transcending cultural and religious boundaries. The decision of the council, influenced by Peter's experience and James's leadership, allowed the early church to embrace Gentile believers without imposing the full weight of Jewish law upon them, thus paving the way for the rapid spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: G4826
   There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: Συμεών
   Transliteration: Symeṓn
   Pronunciation: soom-eh-one'
   Description: from the same as Σίμων; Symeon (i.e. Shimon), the name of five Israelites:--Simeon, Simon.
   
2. Strong's Number: G1834
   There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἐξηγέομαι
   Transliteration: exēgéomai
   Pronunciation: ex-ayg-eh'-om-ahee
   Description: from ἐκ and ἡγέομαι; to consider out (aloud), i.e. rehearse, unfold:--declare, tell.
   
3. Strong's Number: G2531
   There are 180 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: καθώς
   Transliteration: kathṓs
   Pronunciation: kath-oce'
   Description: from κατά and ὡς; just (or inasmuch) as, that:--according to, (according, even) as, how, when.
   
4. Strong's Number: G2316
   There are 1172 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: θεός
   Transliteration: theós
   Pronunciation: theh'-os
   Description: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with ὁ) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).
   
5. Strong's Number: G4412
   There are 61 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: πρῶτον
   Transliteration: prōton
   Pronunciation: pro'-ton
   Description: neuter of πρῶτος as adverb (with or without ὁ); firstly (in time, place, order, or importance):--before, at the beginning, chiefly (at, at the) first (of all).
   
6. Strong's Number: G1980
   There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἐπισκέπτομαι
   Transliteration: episképtomai
   Pronunciation: ep-ee-skep'-tom-ahee
   Description: middle voice from ἐπί and the base of σκοπός; to inspect, i.e. (by implication) to select; by extension, to go to see, relieve:--look out, visit.
   
7. Strong's Number: G1484
   There are 152 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἔθνος
   Transliteration: éthnos
   Pronunciation: eth'-nos
   Description: probably from ἔθω; a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan):--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
   
8. Strong's Number: G2983
   There are 248 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: λαμβάνω
   Transliteration: lambánō
   Pronunciation: lam-ban'-o
   Description: a prolonged form of a primary verb, which is use only as an alternate in certain tenses; to take (in very many applications, literally and figuratively (properly objective or active, to get hold of; whereas δέχομαι is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while αἱρέομαι is more violent, to seize or remove)):--accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).
   
9. Strong's Number: G1537
   There are 761 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἐκ
   Transliteration: ek
   Pronunciation: ex
   Description: a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):--after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, …ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.
   
10. Strong's Number: G2992
    There are 139 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: λαός
    Transliteration: laós
    Pronunciation: lah-os'
    Description: apparently a primary word; a people (in general; thus differing from δῆμος, which denotes one's own populace):--people.
    
11. Strong's Number: G1909
    There are 790 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ἐπί
    Transliteration: epí
    Pronunciation: ep-ee'
    Description: a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).
    
12. Strong's Number: G846
    There are 3776 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: αὐτός
    Transliteration: autós
    Pronunciation: ow-tos'
    Description: from the particle (perhaps akin to the base of ἀήρ through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative ἑαυτοῦ) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare αὑτοῦ.
    
13. Strong's Number: G3686
    There are 214 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ὄνομα
    Transliteration: ónoma
    Pronunciation: on'-om-ah
    Description: from a presumed derivative of the base of γινώσκω (compare ὀνίνημι); a "name" (literally or figuratively) (authority, character):--called, (+ sur-)name(-d).