Acts 15:5 Meaning and Explanation
“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Some believers from among the Pharisees insist that the Gentile converts must be circumcised and commanded to keep the law of Moses.
What Does Acts 15:5 Mean?
Within the Jerusalem church itself stand believers who came from the Pharisees — men trained to prize every command of the law. They rise to press the same demand heard in Antioch: the Gentiles must be circumcised and charged to keep the law of Moses.
Luke is honest that these objectors are believers; sincere faith and mistaken conviction can dwell in the same heart. Their instinct — reverence for what God gave Israel — is not contemptible, but they have not yet seen how the coming of Christ fulfills that story and opens it to the nations. The church must now discern what God asks of those he is gathering from every people, and that discernment is the work of the verses ahead.
Acts 15:5 in the Original Language
hairesis (αἵρεσις), 'sect' -- a party or school within a larger community.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 15:5
What does Acts 15:5 mean?
Some believers from among the Pharisees insist that the Gentile converts must be circumcised and commanded to keep the law of Moses.