Acts 15:10

15:10 So now why are you putting God to the test ¹  by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke ²  that neither our ancestors ³  nor we have been able to bear?

Acts 9:15

9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument ⁴  to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. ⁵ 

[15:10]  ¹ tn According to BDAG 793 s.v. πειράζω 2.c, “In Ac 15:10 the πειράζειν τὸν θεόν consists in the fact that after God’s will has been clearly made known through granting of the Spirit to the Gentiles (v. 8), some doubt and make trial to see whether God’s will really becomes operative.” All testing of God in Luke is negative: Luke 4:2; 11:16.

[15:10]  ² sn A yoke is a wooden bar or frame that joins two animals like oxen or horses so that they can pull a wagon, plow, etc. together. Here it is used figuratively of the restriction that some in the early church wanted to place on Gentile converts to Christianity of observing the law of Moses and having males circumcised. The yoke is a decidedly negative image: Matt 23:4, but cf. Matt 11:29-30.

[15:10]  ³ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[9:15]  ⁴ tn Or “tool.”

[9:15]  ⁵ tn Grk “the sons of Israel.” In Acts, Paul is a minister to all nations, including Israel (Rom 1:16-17).