Acts 15:14 Meaning and Explanation
“Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →James affirms the account of Peter: God first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name.
What Does Acts 15:14 Mean?
James begins by honoring the testimony of Peter, calling him by his Hebrew name, Simeon. He restates the point with care: God did visit the Gentiles — stooping down in mercy as he once visited Israel (Exodus 4:31; Luke 1:68) — to take out of them a people for his name.
The phrase is astonishing, for 'a people for his name' had always meant Israel. James declares that God is forming, from among the nations, a people who bear his own name and belong wholly to him. To be visited by God is the heart of the whole story of salvation: he comes to us before we could ever climb to him. In Christ, that visitation has reached the ends of the earth.
Acts 15:14 in the Original Language
episkeptomai (ἐπισκέπτομαι), 'visit' -- to look upon with gracious care.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 15:14
What does Acts 15:14 mean?
James affirms the account of Peter: God first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name.