Acts 15:7

Verse

After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

American Standard Version (1901)

And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Bible in Basic English

And when there had been much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, My brothers, you have knowledge that some time back it was God's pleasure that by my mouth the good news might be given to the Gentiles so that they might have faith.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And when there had been much disputing, Peter, rising up, said to them: Men, brethren, you know, that in former days God made choice among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Free Bible Version

After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time ago God chose me from among you so that the foreigners could hear the message of good news and trust in Jesus.

Geneva Bible 1599

And when there had bene great disputation, Peter rose vp, and said vnto them, Ye men and brethren, ye know that a good while ago, among vs God chose out me, that the Gentiles by my mouth should heare the worde of the Gospel, and beleeue.

King James (Authorized) Version

And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Plain English Version

They talked about it for a long time, and then Peter stood up and said to them, “My friends, you know that God picked me, and I was the first person to go to the people that are not Jews to tell them the good news about Jesus. God did that so that they could hear about Jesus and believe in him.

Translation for Translators

After they had discussed it for a long time, Peter stood up and spoke to them. He said, “Fellow believers, you all know that a long time ago God chose me from among you other apostles, in order that the non-Jewish people might also hear me [SYN] tell them the good message about the Lord Jesus, so that they could hear it and believe in him. So Paul and Barnabas are not the first ones to tell non-Jews about Jesus.

Unlocked Literal Bible

After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Noah Webster Bible

And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose and said to them, Men, brethren, ye know that a good while ago, God made choice among us, that the Gentiles, by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

World English Bible

When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe.

Young's Literal Translation

and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said unto them, 'Men, brethren, ye know that from former days, God among us did make choice, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe;

Context

The Council at Jerusalem

⁶So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.⁷After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.⁸And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.

Sermons

God Hath Spoken - Part 7

T. Austin-Sparks

Summary

In Acts 15:7, Peter stands up during the Jerusalem Council and affirms that God had chosen him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. He recounts how God had worked through him to bring the Gentiles to faith, emphasizing that salvation is by grace through faith for all people. Peter's testimony plays a crucial role in the early church's decision to accept Gentile believers without imposing Jewish customs, highlighting the inclusivity of the Gospel message. This verse showcases God's sovereignty in orchestrating the expansion of the Gospel beyond the Jewish community, fulfilling His promise to bless all nations through Abraham's descendants.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

When there had been much disputing - By those of the sect of the believing Pharisees; for they strongly contended for circumcision, and at the head of these, tradition tells us, was Cerinthus, a name famous in the primitive Church, as one who labored to unite the law and the Gospel, and to make the salvation promised by the latter dependent on the performance of the rites and ceremonies prescribed by the former. Though the apostles and elders were under the inspiration of the Almighty, and could by this inspiration have immediately determined the question, yet it was highly necessary that the objecting party should be permitted to come forward and allege their reasons for the doctrines they preached, and that these reasons should be fairly met by argument, and the thing proved to be useless in itself, inexpedient in the present case, and unsupported by any express authority from God, and serving no purpose to the Gentiles, who in their uncircumcised state, by believing in Christ Jesus, had been made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Peter rose up, and said - This was after the matters in dispute had been fully debated; and now the apostles, like judges, after hearing counsel on both sides, proceed to give judgment on the case. A good while ago - Αφ' ἡμερων αρχαιων, From the days of old: a phrase which simply signifies some years ago; and, if he here refers to the conversion of Cornelius, (see Acts 10:1-48), he must mean about ten years before this time; but it is more likely that he refers to that time when Christ gave him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that be might open the door of faith to the Gentiles. God made choice among us - That is, he chose me to be the first apostle of the Gentiles.