Devine Scripture

Acts 15:9

What does Acts 15:9 mean?

A plain-English look at Acts 15:9 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Acts 15:9 means

God made no distinction between Jewish and Gentile believers, cleansing their hearts by faith. The heart is purified not by ritual washings or surgical marks but by trusting Christ. This echoes the gospel’s core: justification and sanctification begin with faith, and the Spirit applies Christ’s work internally. If God does not distinguish, the church must not build barriers God has torn down. The phrase underscores the universality of grace and the sufficiency of faith in Jesus to make people right with God. Any system that reintroduces distinctions based on the law compromises the unity and purity God bestows through the gospel.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Making no division between them and us, but making clean their hearts by faith.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and did put no difference also between us and them, by the faith having purified their hearts;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and put no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith.

Context

Peter has appealed to the Spirit’s gift; now he states the theological implication. Equality before God is grounded in faith’s cleansing work. This provides the warranted rebuke in the next verse against testing God by adding a yoke. The flow is logical: God’s action (v. 8), its meaning (v. 9), and the pastoral warning (v. 10), culminating in the confession of salvation by grace (v. 11).

v.8And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;

v.9This passage

v.10Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 10:11

    For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame.

  • Acts 10:34

    And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

  • 1 Corinthians 1:2

    unto the church of God which is at Corinth, eventhem that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, calledto besaints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, theirLordand ours:

  • Colossians 3:11

    where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.

  • Acts 10:28

    and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean:

  • Romans 3:29

    Or is God the God of Jews only? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also:

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