Acts 15 · Verse 12

Acts 15:12

Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

Acts 15:12, King James Version

Acts 15:12 in other translations

BSB	The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
WEB	All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.
ASV	And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.
YLT	And all the multitude did keep silence, and were hearkening to Barnabas and Paul, declaring as many signs and wonders as God did among the nations through them;
DARBY	And all the multitude kept silence and listened to Barnabas and Paul relating all the signs and wonders which God had wrought among the nations by them.
BBE	And all the people were quiet while Barnabas and Paul gave an account of the signs and wonders which God had done among the Gentiles by them.
Webster	Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought by them among the Gentiles.

What does Acts 15:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

12. Then all ... gave audience to Barnabas and Paul--On this order of the names here, see on Ac 15:25. declaring what miracles and signs God wrought among the Gentiles by them--This detail of facts, immediately following up those which Peter had recalled to mind, would lead all who waited only for divine teaching to see that God had Himself pronounced the Gentile converts to be disciples in as full standing as the Jews, without circumcision; and the attesting miracles to which Paul here refers would tend, in such an assembly to silence opposition.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 12. Then all the multitude. Evidently the multitude of private Christians who were assembled on this occasion. That it does not refer to a synod of ministers and elders merely, is apparent,

(1.) because the church, the brethren, are represented as having been present, and concurring in the final opinion, Acts 15:22,23; and,

(2.) because the word multitude (τοπληθος) would not have been used in describing the collection of apostles and elders merely. Comp. Lk 1:10,11,13, 5:6, 6:17, 19:37, Jn 5:3, 21:6, Acts 4:32, 6:2, Mt 3:7.

Gave audience. Heard; listened attentively to.

Barnabas and Paul. They were deeply interested in it; and they were qualified to give a fair statement of the facts as they had occurred.

Declaring what miracles and wonders, etc. The argument here evidently is, that God had approved their work by miracles; that he gave evidence that what they did had his approbation; and that as all this was done without imposing on them the rites of the Jews, so it would follow that those were not now to be commanded.

(*) "audience" "hearkened to" (d) "God had wrought" Acts 14:27

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 12 All the multitude kept silence - The strong facts stated by St. Peter could not be controverted. His speech may be thus analyzed: 1. Circumcision is a sign of the purification of the heart. 2. That purification can only be effected by the Holy Ghost. 3. This Holy Spirit was hitherto supposed to be the portion of those only who had received circumcision. 4. But the Gentiles, who were never circumcised, nor kept any part of the law of Moses, have had their hearts purified by faith in Christ Jesus. 5. As God, therefore, has given them the thing signified, he evidently does not intend that the sign should be administered. 6. Should we impose this burthensome rite, we should most evidently be provoking God, who plainly shows us that he intends no more to save in this way. 7. Therefore it is evident that both Jews and Gentiles are to be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Gave audience to Barnabas and Paul - These apostles came forward next, to corroborate what Peter had said, by showing the miracles and wonders which God had by them wrought among the Gentiles. Peter stated facts: Paul and Barnabas confirmed the statement.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 15:7-21

We see from the words "purifying their hearts by faith," and the address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctification by the Holy Ghost, cannot be separated; and that both are the gift of God. We have great cause to bless God that we have heard the gospel. May we have that faith which the great Searcher of hearts approves, and attests by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Then our hearts and consciences…

Read the full comment on Acts 15:7-21 →

Acts 15:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐσίγησενesigēsenKept silentG4601

δὲdenowG1161

πᾶνpanallG3956

τὸtotheG3588

πλῆθοςplēthosmultitudeG4128

καὶkaiandG2532

ἤκουονēkouonwere listening toG191

ΒαρναβᾶBarnabaBarnabasG921

καὶkaiandG2532

ΠαύλουPaulouPaulG3972

ἐξηγουμένωνexēgoumenōnrelatingG1834

ὅσαhosahow muchG3745

ἐποίησενepoiēsendidG4160

ὁho<the>G3588

θεὸςtheosGodG2316

σημεῖαsēmeiasignsG4592

καὶkaiandG2532

τέραταteratawondersG5059

ἐνenamongG1722

τοῖςtoistheG3588

ἔθνεσινethnesinGentilesG1484

δι᾽di᾽throughG1223

αὐτῶν.¶autōnthem.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 15:12

Acts 14:27
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Acts 15:4
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.
John 4:48
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Acts 21:19
And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

declaring.
4; 14:27; 21:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Acts 15:11
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Acts 15:12
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
Acts 15:13
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

Read all of Acts 15

Acts 15:12 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces toda la multitud calló, y oyeron á Bernabé y á Pablo, que contaban cuán grandes maravillas y señales Dios había hecho por ellos entre los Gentiles.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et toute la multitude se tut; et ils écoutaient Barnabas et Paul qui racontaient quels miracles et quels prodiges Dieu avait faits par leur moyen parmi les nations.
German Elberfelder 1871	Die ganze Menge aber schwieg und hörte Barnabas und Paulus zu, welche erzählten, wie viele Zeichen und Wunder Gott unter den Nationen durch sie getan habe.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Tacuit autem omnis multitudo: et audiebant Barnabam et Paulum narrantes quanta Deus fecisset signa et prodigia in gentibus per eos.