Acts 15:23 Meaning and Explanation
“And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The letter of the council opens with the apostles, elders, and brethren sending greeting to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
What Does Acts 15:23 Mean?
The council commits its decision to writing, and the address is itself a message: the apostles and elders and brethren of Jerusalem greet 'the brethren which are of the Gentiles' in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia — family writing to family, across the very line the dispute had drawn.
Before a single instruction is given, the Gentiles are named as brethren. Belonging is declared first; guidance follows. That order is the gospel's own: God receives us as his children and then teaches us to walk. Churches and homes do well to keep the same order — assure people they are loved and counted as family, and instruction will land as care rather than condemnation.
Acts 15:23 in the Original Language
chairein (χαίρειν), 'greeting' -- literally 'rejoice,' the customary opening of a letter.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 15:23
What does Acts 15:23 mean?
The letter of the council opens with the apostles, elders, and brethren sending greeting to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.