Acts 15:2-4

15:2 When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debate ¹  with them, the church ²  appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet with ³  the apostles and elders in Jerusalem ⁴  about this point of disagreement. ⁵  15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ⁶  and Samaria, they were relating at length ⁷  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ⁸  to all the brothers. 15:4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received ⁹  by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported ¹⁰  all the things God had done with them. ¹¹ 

¹ tn Grk “no little argument and debate” (an idiom).

² tn Grk “they”; the referent (the church, or the rest of the believers at Antioch) has been specified to avoid confusion with the Judaizers mentioned in the preceding clause.

³ tn Grk “go up to,” but in this context a meeting is implied.

⁴ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁵ tn Or “point of controversy.” It is unclear whether this event parallels Gal 2:1-10 or that Gal 2 fits with Acts 11:30. More than likely Gal 2:1-10 is to be related to Acts 11:30.

⁶ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.

⁷ tn L&N 33.201 indicates that ἐκδιηγέομαι (ekdihgeomai) means to provide detailed information in a systematic manner, “to inform, to relate, to tell fully.” “Relating at length” conveys this effectively in the present context.

⁸ tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”

⁹ tn BDAG 761 s.v. παραδέχομαι 2 has “receive, accept” for the meaning here.

¹⁰ tn Or “announced.”

¹¹ tn “They reported all the things God had done with them” – an identical phrase occurs in Acts 14:27. God is always the agent.