^15:13After they stopped speaking,³⁷ James replied,³⁸ “Brothers, listen to me. ^15:14Simeon³⁹ has explained⁴⁰ how God first concerned himself⁴¹ to select⁴² from among the Gentiles⁴³ a people for his name. ^15:15The⁴⁴ words of the prophets agree⁴⁵ with this, as it is written,

^15:16‘After this⁴⁶ I⁴⁷ will return,

and I will rebuild the fallen tent⁴⁸ of David;

I will rebuild its ruins and restore⁴⁹ it,

^15:17so that the rest of humanity⁵⁰ may seek the Lord,

namely,⁵¹ all the Gentiles⁵² I have called to be my own,’⁵³ says the Lord,⁵⁴ who makes these things ^15:18known⁵⁵ from long ago.⁵⁶

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Footnotes

37 σιγάω 1.b lists this passage under the meaning “stop speaking, become silent.”
38 Grk “answered, saying”; the redundant participle λέγων (legōn) has not been translated.
39 Simeon is a form of the apostle Peter’s Aramaic name. James uses Peter’s “Jewish” name here.
40 Or “reported,” “described.”
41 ἐπισκέπτομαι 3 translates this phrase in Acts 15:14, “God concerned himself about winning a people fr. among the nations.”
42 Grk “to take,” but in the sense of selecting or choosing (accompanied by the preposition ἐκ [ek] plus a genitive specifying the group selected from) see Heb 5:1; also λαμβάνω 6.
43 In the Greek text the expression “from among the Gentiles” is in emphatic position.
44 Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
45 The term agree means “match” or “harmonize with.” James’ point in the introduction argues that many of the OT prophets taught this. He gives one example (which follows).
46 Grk “After these things.”
47 The first person pronoun I refers to God and his activity. It is God who is doing this.
48 Or more generally, “dwelling”; perhaps, “royal tent.” According to σκηνή the word can mean “tent” or “hut,” or more generally “lodging” or “dwelling.” In this verse (a quotation from Amos 9:11) refers this to David’s ruined kingdom; it is possibly an allusion to a king’s tent (a royal tent). God is at work to reestablish David’s line (Acts 2:30–36; 13:32–39).
49 ἀνορθόω places this verb under the meaning “to build someth. up again after it has fallen, rebuild, restore,” but since ἀνοικοδομέω (anoikodomeō, “rebuild”) has occurred twice in this verse already, “restore” is used here.
50 Or “so that all other people.” The use of this term follows Amos 9:11 .
51 Here καί (kai) introduces an explanatory clause that explains the preceding phrase “the rest of humanity.” The clause introduced by καί (kai) could also be punctuated in English as a parenthesis.
52 Or “all the nations” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same). Note the linkage back to v. 14 through the mention of Gentiles. What Simeon explained is what the OT text says would happen.
53 Grk “all the Gentiles on whom my name has been called.” Based on well-attested OT usage, the passive of ἐπικαλέω (epikaleō) here indicates God’s ownership (“all the Gentiles who belong to me”) or calling (“all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own”). See L&N 11.28.
54 A quotation from Amos 9:11–12 . James demonstrated a high degree of cultural sensitivity when he cited a version of the text (the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament) that Gentiles would use.
55 Who makes these things known. The remark emphasizes how God’s design of these things reaches back to the time he declared them.
56 An allusion to Isa 45:21.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

“ ‘After this I will return,

and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;

I will rebuild its ruins,

and I will restore it,

that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,

and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,

says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

“ ‘After this I will return

and rebuild David’s fallen tent.

Its ruins I will rebuild,

and I will restore it,

that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,

even all the Gentiles who bear my name,

says the Lord, who does these things’—

things known from long ago.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

After they stopped speaking, James responded, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name. And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:

After these things I will return

and rebuild David’s fallen tent.

I will rebuild its ruins

and set it up again,

so that the rest of humanity

may seek the Lord—

even all the Gentiles

who are called by my name—

declares the Lord

who makes these things known from long ago.

NLTNew Living Translation

When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:

‘Afterward I will return

and restore the fallen house of David.

I will rebuild its ruins

and restore it,

so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord,

including the Gentiles—

all those I have called to be mine.

The Lord has spoken—

he who made these things known so long ago.’

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Men and brothers, listen to me! Simeon has described how God first concerned himself to take from among the Gentiles a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:

‘After these things I will return

and build up again the tent of David that has fallen,

and the parts of it that had been torn down I will build up again

and will restore it,

so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord,

even all the Gentiles who are called by my name,

says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’

KJV 1900King James Version

And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

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