The Meaning of Acts 15:40 Explained

Acts 15:40

KJV: And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

YLT: and Paul having chosen Silas, went forth, having been given up to the grace of God by the brethren;

Darby: but Paul having chosen Silas went forth, committed by the brethren to the grace of God.

ASV: but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Paul  chose  Silas,  and departed,  being recommended  by  the brethren  unto the grace  of God. 

What does Acts 15:40 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 15:22-41 - "confirming The Churches"
This letter was a noble document and fitted for its immediate purpose, but it does not apply directly to us, as the circumstances which called it forth have long since passed away. It was explicit in denying that the rite of circumcision was needful for salvation. It bore ample testimony to the character and work of the two great missionaries whose action had been impugned. It denounced the false teachers whose intrusion had broken the peace of the Church, and laid down the principles which had been embodied in James' speech. Notice the conjunction of the Holy Spirit with the persons who issued this letter, Acts 15:28. Here is convincing proof that the Spirit of God is a person; that He presides in the Church; and that He is willing to become our guide and teacher whenever we are perplexed.
The arrival of Judas and Silas, attesting by their presence the importance that the mother church attached to the question at issue, and the reading of the letter, brought great relief to the believers at Antioch, and a blessed season of teaching and preaching ensued.
It is unpleasant to see the contention between the two leaders over John Mark, but God overruled it for good and Paul could later write to Timothy, "Take Mark and bring him with thee; for he is useful to me for ministering," 2 Timothy 4:11, r.v. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 15

1  Great dissensions arise regarding circumcision
5  The apostles consult about it,
22  and send their determination by letters to the churches
36  Paul and Barnabas, thinking to visit the brothers together,
39  disagree, and travel different ways

Greek Commentary for Acts 15:40

Chose [επιλεχαμενος]
First aorist middle (indirect) participle of επιλεγω — epilegō choosing for himself, as the successor of Barnabas, not of Mark who had no place in Paul‘s plans at this time. [source]
Commended [παραδοτεις]
First aorist passive of παραδιδωμι — paradidōmi the same verb employed about Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:26) on their return from the first tour. It is clear now that the sympathy of the church at Antioch is with Paul rather than with Barnabas in the cleavage that has come. The church probably recalled how in the pinch Barnabas flickered and went to the side of Peter and that it was Paul who for the moment stood Paulus contra mundum for Gentile liberty in Christ against the threat of the Judaizers from Jerusalem. Silas had influence in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:22) and was apparently a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37) also. He is the Silas or Silvanus of the epistles (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Peter 5:12). It is remarkable that Peter mentions both Mark and Silas as with him (1 Peter 5:12.) at the same time. [source]
Recommended []
Which was not the case with Barnabas, leading to the inference that the church at Antioch took Paul's side in the dispute. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 15:40

John 5:2 There is [εστιν]
Bengel argues that this proves a date before the destruction of Jerusalem, but it is probably only John‘s vivid memory. By the sheep gate Supply πυληι — pulēi (gate) which occurs with the adjective προβατικη — probatikē (pertaining to sheep, προβατα — probata) in Nehemiah 3:1, Nehemiah 3:22. A pool A diving or swimming pool (from κολυμβαω — kolumbaō to swim, Acts 27:43), old word, only here in N.T. Which is called “The surnamed” (present passive participle, only N.T. example except Acts 15:40 first aorist middle participle επιλεχαμενος — epilexamenos). In Hebrew “In Aramaic” strictly as in John 19:13, John 19:17, John 19:20; John 20:16; Revelation 9:11; Revelation 16:16. Bethesda Aleph D L 33 have ετζατα — Bethzatha or House of the Olive, while B W Vulg. Memph. have ετσαιδα — Bethsaida Having five porches Στοα — Stoa was a covered colonnade where people can gather from which Stoic comes (Acts 17:18). See John 10:23; Acts 3:11. Schick in 1888 found twin pools north of the temple near the fortress of Antonia one of which has five porches. It is not, however, certain that this pool existed before a.d. 70 when the temple was destroyed (Sanday, Sacred Sites of the Gospels, p. 55). Some have identified it with the Pool of Siloam (John 9:7), though John distinguishes them. There is also the Virgin‘s Well, called the Gusher, because it periodically bubbles over from a natural spring, a kind of natural siphon. This is south of the temple in the Valley of Kedron and quite possibly the real site. [source]
Acts 13:3 Laid their hands upon them [επιτεντες τας χειρας αυτοις]
Second aorist active participle of επιτιτημι — epitithēmi Not ordination to the ministry, but a solemn consecration to the great missionary task to which the Holy Spirit had called them. Whether the whole church took part in this ceremony is not clear, though in Acts 15:40 “the brethren” did commend Paul and Silas. Perhaps some of them here acted for the whole church, all of whom approved the enterprise. But Paul makes it plain in Philemon 4:15 that the church in Antioch did not make financial contribution to the campaign, but only goodwill. But that was more than the church at Jerusalem would have done as a whole since Peter had been arraigned there for his activities in Caesarea (Acts 11:1-18). Clearly Barnabas and Saul had to finance the tour themselves. It was Philippi that first gave money to Paul‘s campaigns. There were still heathen enough in Antioch, but the church approved the going of Barnabas and Saul, their very best. [source]
Acts 15:34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there [εδοχε δε Σιλαι επιμειναι αυτου]
This verse is not in the Revised Version or in the text of Westcott and Hort, being absent from Aleph A B Vulgate, etc. It is clearly an addition to help explain the fact that Silas is back in Antioch in Acts 15:40. But the “some days” of Acts 15:36 afforded abundant time for him to return from Jerusalem. He and Judas went first to Jerusalem to make a report of their mission. [source]
1 Peter 5:12 Silvanus []
Probably the companion of Paul known in the Acts as Silas (Acts 15:22, Acts 15:27, Acts 15:32, Acts 15:34, Acts 15:40, etc.), and called Silvanus by Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1. [source]
1 Peter 5:12 As I account him [ως λογιζομαι]
Peter uses Paul‘s phrase (1 Corinthians 4:1; Romans 8:18) in giving approval to Paul‘s former companion (Acts 15:40).I have written (εγραπσα — egrapsa). Epistolary aorist applying to this Epistle as in 1 Corinthians 5:11 (not 1 Corinthians 5:9); 1 Corinthians 9:15; Galatians 6:11; Romans 15:15; Philemon 1:19, Philemon 1:21.Briefly “By few words,” as Peter looked at it, certainly not a long letter in fact. Cf. Hebrews 13:22.Testifying (επιμαρτυρων — epimarturōn). Present active participle of επιμαρτυρεω — epimartureō to bear witness to, old compound, here alone in N.T., though the double compound συνεπιμαρτυρεω — sunepimartureō in Hebrews 2:4.That this is the true grace of God Infinitive ειναι — einai in indirect assertion and accusative of general reference “In which (grace) take your stand” (ingressive aorist active imperative of ιστημι — histēmi). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 15:40 mean?

Paul however having chosen Silas went forth having been committed to the grace of the Lord by the brothers
Παῦλος δὲ ἐπιλεξάμενος Σιλᾶν ἐξῆλθεν παραδοθεὶς τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν

Παῦλος  Paul 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Παῦλος  
Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἐπιλεξάμενος  having  chosen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπιλέγω  
Sense: to say besides.
Σιλᾶν  Silas 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Σίλας  
Sense: a Roman citizen, the companion of the apostle Paul on several of his missionary journeys.
ἐξῆλθεν  went  forth 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐξέρχομαι 
Sense: to go or come forth of.
παραδοθεὶς  having  been  committed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: παραδίδωμι  
Sense: to give into the hands (of another).
τῇ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
χάριτι  grace 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: χάρις  
Sense: grace.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Κυρίου  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
ἀδελφῶν  brothers 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.