Discovery BoxActs 15:2-4 
Context15:2 When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debate 1 with them, the church 2 appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet with 3 the apostles and elders in Jerusalem 4 about this point of disagreement. 5 15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia 6 and Samaria, they were relating at length 7 the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy 8 to all the brothers. 15:4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received 9 by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported 10 all the things God had done with them. 11
1 tn Grk “no little argument and debate” (an idiom).
2 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the church, or the rest of the believers at Antioch) has been specified to avoid confusion with the Judaizers mentioned in the preceding clause.
3 tn Grk “go up to,” but in this context a meeting is implied.
4 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
5 tn Or “point of controversy.” It is unclear whether this event parallels Gal 2:1-10 or that Gal 2 fits with Acts 11:30. More than likely Gal 2:1-10 is to be related to Acts 11:30.
6 sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.
7 tn L&N 33.201 indicates that ἐκδιηγέομαι (ekdihgeomai) means to provide detailed information in a systematic manner, “to inform, to relate, to tell fully.” “Relating at length” conveys this effectively in the present context.
8 tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”
9 tn BDAG 761 s.v. παραδέχομαι 2 has “receive, accept” for the meaning here.
10 tn Or “announced.”
11 tn “They reported all the things God had done with them” – an identical phrase occurs in Acts 14:27. God is always the agent.
