Acts 15:5

15:5 But some from the religious party of the Pharisees ¹  who had believed stood up and said, “It is necessary ²  to circumcise the Gentiles ³  and to order them to observe ⁴  the law of Moses.”

Acts 15:3

15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ⁵  and Samaria, they were relating at length ⁶  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ⁷  to all the brothers.

[15:5]  ¹ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[15:5]  ² sn The Greek word used here (δεῖ, dei) is a strong term that expresses divine necessity. The claim is that God commanded the circumcision of Gentiles.

[15:5]  ³ tn Grk “them”; the referent (the Gentiles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:5]  ⁴ tn Or “keep.”

[15:3]  ⁵ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.

[15:3]  ⁶ 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.

[15:3]  ⁷ tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”