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 21:21

21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ⁵  among the Gentiles to abandon ⁶  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ⁷  or live ⁸  according to our customs.

[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.”

[21:21]  ⁵ tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.a has “τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη ᾿Ιουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21.” The Jews in view are not those in Palestine, but those who are scattered throughout the Gentile world.

[21:21]  ⁶ tn Or “to forsake,” “to rebel against.” BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποστασία has “ἀποστασίαν διδάσκεις ἀπὸ Μωϋσέως you teach (Judeans) to abandon Moses Ac 21:21.”

[21:21]  ⁷ sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.

[21:21]  ⁸ tn Grk “or walk.”