Acts - 15:40



40 but Paul chose Silas, and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Acts 15:40.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
But Paul choosing Silas, departed, being delivered by the brethren to the grace of God.
but Paul having chosen Silas went forth, committed by the brethren to the grace of God.
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
and Paul having chosen Silas, went forth, having been given up to the grace of God by the brethren;
But Paul chose Silas as his travelling companion; and set out, after being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord;
But Paul took Silas and went away with the blessing of the brothers.
Yet truly, Paul, choosing Silas, set out, being delivered by the brothers to the grace of God.
while Paul chose Silas for his companion and, after he had been committed by the followers to the gracious care of the Lord,

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Being recommended - Being commended by prayer to God. See notes on Acts 14:26.

Being recommended - unto the grace of God - Much stress has been laid upon this, to show that Barnabas was in the wrong, and Paul in the right, because "the brethren recommended Paul and Silas to the grace of God; but they did not recommend Barnabas and John Mark: this proves that the Church condemned the conduct of Barnabas, but approved that of Paul." Now, there is no proof that the Church did not recommend Barnabas to the grace of God, as well as Paul; but, as St. Luke had for the present dropped the story of Barnabas, and was now going on with that of Paul and Silas, he begins it at this point, viz. his being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God; and then goes on to tell of his progress in Syria, Derbe, Lystra, etc., etc. See the next chapter. And with this verse should the following chapter begin; and this is the division followed by the most correct copies of the Greek text.

And Paul chose Silas,.... To be his companion and assistant; this being the design of the Holy Ghost in influencing his, mind to stay longer at Antioch, after he, with Judas, was dismissed by the church to go to Jerusalem, Acts 15:33.
and departed; that is, from Antioch:
being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God;
See Gill on Acts 13:26. The apostle having such a recommendation by the brethren of the church at Antioch, when he departed from them, and nothing of this kind being said with respect to Barnabas, have induced some to think, that the church took the part of the apostle against Barnabas, in the dispute between them; since the one went away saluted by them, and the other not.

and departed, being recommended . . . to the grace of God--(No doubt by some solemn service; see Acts 13:3), as in Acts 14:26. It does not follow from the historian's silence that Barnabas was not so recommended, too; for this is the last mention of Barnabas in the history, whose sole object now is to relate the proceedings of Paul. Nor does it seem quite fair (with DE WETTE, MEYER, HOWSON, ALFORD, HACKET, WEBSTER and WILKINSON, &c.) to conclude from this that the Church at Antioch took that marked way of showing their sympathy with Paul in opposition to Barnabas.

But Paul departed - Held on his intended course: being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God - We do not find that Barnabas stayed for this. O how mighty is the grace of God! which in the midst of the world, in the midst of sin, among so many snares of Satan, and in spite of the incredible weakness and depravity of nature, yet overcomes all opposition, sanctifies, sustains, and preserves us to the end! It appears not only that Paul and Barnabas were afterward thoroughly reconciled, 1-Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 2:9; but also that John was again admitted by St. Paul as a companion in his labours, Colossians 4:10; Plm 1:24; 2-Timothy 4:11.

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