24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia :

26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended" to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

27 And when they were come, and had gathered the Church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had hopened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.

CHAP. XV.

1 Great dissension ariseth touching circumcision: 6 the apostles consult about it, 22 and send their determination by letters to the Churches : 36 Paul and Barnabas, thinking to visit the brethren together, fall at strife, and depart asunder.

e See on ver. 23.

Il committed. Cr. Bi.

fACTS, xii. 25: Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry. ROM. XV. 19: And round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ. 1 Cor. ix. 16: Necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel. CoL.i. 25: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God. do. iv. 17: Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. 2 TIM. iv. 5, 17: Make full proof of thy ministry. The Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear.

8 Acts, xv. 4, 12. do. xxi. 19: And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

h1 COR. xvi. 9: A great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. 2 Cor. ii. 12: A door was opened to me of the Lord. CoL. iv. 3: Withal praying_also for us, that God would open to us a door of utterance. REV. iii. 8: Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

A. D. 51. AND a certain men which camedown from Judæa taught the brethren, and said, 'Except ye be circumcised after the manner1 of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

C

A. D. 52. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

3 And being brought on their way by the Church, they passed through Phenice and Sa

law. Wi.

CHAP. XV.

a GAL. ii. 12: For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

and

b Ver. 5. JOHN, vii. 22: Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers ;) ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. GAL. v. 2: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. PHIL. iii. 2: Beware of the concision. COL. ii. 8, 11, 16: Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh. by the circumcision of Christ: Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.

See on JOHN, vii. 22.

d GAL. ii. 1: Fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

e ROM. XV. 24: I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you. 1 COR. xvi. 6, 11: It may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren. 3 JOHN, 6: Which have borne witness of thy charity before the Church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well.

maria, 'declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the Church, and of the apostles and elders, and they "declared all things that God had done with them.

5 But there rose up certain2 of the sect3 of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was ineedful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

6¶And the apostles and elders came toge ther for to consider1 of this matter.

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago 'God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe.

rose up, said they, certain. A. V. Ma. Cr.

f Acts, xiv. 27.

3

4

' heresy. Wi. Rh. reason.

* LUKE, XV. 7, 10: I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Like wise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Ver. 12, ACTs, xiv. 27. do. xxi. 19: And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

i Ver. 1.

* MAT. xviii. 20: For where two or three are gathered toge ther in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

'MAT. xvi. 18, 19: And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ACTS, X. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. do. xi. 12: The Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting.

8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness,5 "giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

9 And put no difference between us and them, Ppurifying their hearts by faith.

10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of

5 bare witness over them. Co. 6 in putting. Ham.

m See on ACTs, i. 24.

n See on ACTs, v. 32.

• ROM. X. 11: For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

P Acts, x. 15, 28, 43: And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 1 COR. i. 2: To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus. HEB. ix. 13, 14: For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh : how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 1 PET. i. 22: Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.

9 MAT. xxiii. 4: They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders. GAL. ii. 4: Because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage. do. v. 1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

ROM. iii. 24: Being justified freely by his grace_through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. EPH. ii. 8: By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. 2 TIM. i. 9: Who hath saved us, and called ús with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus. TIT. ii. 11: For the grace of God that bringeth

g

maria, 'declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy unto all the brethre 4 And when they were come to Jerusale they were received of the Church, and of apostles and elders, and they "declared all th that God had done with them.

5 But there rose up certain2 of the sect3 Pharisees which believed, saying, That i ineedful to circumcise them, and to cor them to keep the law of Moses.

6 ¶ And the apostles and elders came ther for to consider1 of this matter.

7 And when there had been much dis Peter rose up, and said unto them, M brethren, ye know how that a good w God made choice among us, that the by my mouth should hear the word of pel, and believe.

2 rose up, said they, certain. A. V. Ma. Cr.

fACTS, xiv. 27.

'heresy. Wi. Rh

* LUKE, xv. 7, 10: I say unto you, that likewi be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, mo ninety and nine just persons, which need no repen wise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Ver. 12, ACTS, xiv. 27. do. xxi. 19: And saluted them, he declared particularly what thi wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. i Ver. 1.

* MAT. xviii. 20: For where two or three are g ther in my name, there am I in the midst of then

'MAT. xvi. 18, 19: And I say also unto thee, Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Ch gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and w shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: a thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in hea 20: Arise therefore, and get thee down, and doubting nothing: for I have sent them. do. xi. bade me go with them, nothing doubting.