What Does Acts 15:3 Mean in the King James?
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Here, conversion is a turning that travels through cities as news and reaches the community as joy.
THE MEANING
The turning described here does not stay private: as it is spoken aloud, it becomes shared news that brings joy to the people around it. Your movement toward God can belong to a wider community, where another person’s turning is also a reason for joy.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the idea that someone else’s turning toward God diminishes the community’s belonging; here, that turning expands shared joy.
THE ROOT
ἐπιστροφή
epistrophē
GROWS FROM
στρέφω
strephō
To turn, pivot, or turn around.
The word rendered “conversion” names a turning, a movement with direction, rather than a label someone acquires. The same turn-root can describe turning toward or turning away, so this verse’s emphasis is on where the Gentiles are now turning.
ALSO GROWS
epistrephō: Turn toward or turn back.
ἐπιστρέφω
This verb shares the turn-root and appears in Acts 3:19 as “be converted,” joining the noun here to an active movement.
apostrephō: Turn away.
ἀποστρέφω
The same root can describe turning in another direction, making the direction of the Gentiles’ turning central to the verse.
χαρά
chara
GROWS FROM
χαιρ-
chair-
To rejoice or be glad.
The joy in this verse belongs not only to those who turn but also to those who hear about it. The related Greek forms show the report becoming gladness shared across the community.
ALSO GROWS
chairō: Rejoice, be glad.
χαίρω
This verb comes from the same joy-family and expresses the response that the report stirs in its hearers.
chara: Joy, gladness.
χαρά
This noun names the shared response the travelers’ account brings to the brethren.
THE PATTERN
A turning toward life becomes public joy that draws others into recognition.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.THE THREAD
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;Acts 15:3 names the Gentiles’ movement with ἐπιστροφή (epistrophē), while Acts 3:19 uses a verb from the same turn-root: “be converted.” The English separates the turning into two forms, while the Greek keeps the shared motion visible.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
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