Acts 15 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The crisis — circumcision demanded of the Gentile converts 15:1–5

vv. 1–2 — the teaching from Judea and the appointment to go up

And certain men, coming down from Judea, were teaching the brothers:independent — iterative imperfect — persistent teaching; the anonymous τινες, pointedly not the Jerusalem leadership

'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — circumcision made a condition of salvation, the precise claim the council refutes

you cannot be saved.'content — the apodosis — recitative ὅτι carries the demand verbatim

And when no small dissension and debate had arisen for Paul and Barnabas against them,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἔταξαν; οὐκ ὀλίγης, Lukan litotes for a very great conflict

they appointed Paul and Barnabas and certain others from among them to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.independent — the church's resolution — ἀναβαίνειν, always 'up' to Jerusalem; the ζήτημα named

vv. 3–5 — the journey up, the welcome, and the Pharisees' demand

So they, being sent on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria,independent — μὲν οὖν — the Lukan transition; προπεμφθέντες, the church's formal escort

describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles,participial — concurrent participle — ἐπιστροφή, the noun v. 19's ἐπιστρέφουσιν will echo

and they were causing great joy to all the brothers.independent — iterative imperfect — joy all along the route, the chapter's keynote (vv. 31)

And arriving in Jerusalem,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on παρεδέχθησαν

they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders,independent — formal, honorable reception — not yet confrontation

and they reportedindependent — the report formula of 14:27 and 21:19

all that God had done with them.relative — ὅσα — God the actor, the missionaries the company he kept

But some of those from the sect of the Pharisees who had believed rose up,independent — the counter-reaction — πεπιστευκότες: genuine believers; the dispute is intra-ecclesial

saying:participial — speech-participle with recitative ὅτι

'It is necessary to circumcise themcontent — δεῖ — the demand of v. 1 restated as necessity, before the assembled leadership

and to order them to keep the law of Moses.'content — the demand sharpened — not circumcision only but the whole Mosaic law

The council — Peter: God already decided 15:6–11

vv. 6–7a — the assembly gathers; Peter rises

And the apostles and the elders were gathered togetherindependent — the council convenes — the passive frames the gathering as the ordered response

to consider this matter.purpose — purpose infinitive — ἰδεῖν, to see about it: deliberation is the point of the meeting

And when much debate had arisen,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on εἶπεν; πολλῆς now, not litotes: the debate ran long

Peter rose and said to them:independent — ἀναστάς — the decisive intervention; Peter's last words in Acts

vv. 7b–11 — the speech: the choice, the Spirit, the yoke, the grace

'Men, brothers,content — the vocative address — the council spoken to as kin

you yourselves know thatcontent — emphatic ὑμεῖς — the appeal is to what the assembly already knows

from early days God made his choice among you,content — the Cornelius episode (Acts 10–11) invoked as ancient precedent — God chose

that through my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.content — epexegetic infinitives — the content of the choice: Gentile hearing and believing

And God, the heart-knower, bore witness to them,content — καρδιογνώστης — only here and 1:24 in the NT; God himself is the witness in this trial

giving them the Holy Spiritparticipial — means participle — the Spirit's descent on Cornelius (10:44–47) is the testimony

just as also to us,comparative — elliptical comparison — the same gift, no lesser measure

and he made no distinction between us and them,content — οὐθὲν διέκρινεν — the distinction the Pharisee believers would reimpose, God declined to make

having cleansed their hearts by faith.participial — means participle — τῇ πίστει instrumental: what faith has cleansed, no rite need cleanse

Now therefore why are you testing God,content — the inference turned accusation — πειράζειν τὸν θεόν, Israel's wilderness sin (Exod 17:2)

by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciplescontent — epexegetic infinitive — the ζυγός, the rabbinic figure for Torah, turned against the demand

which neither our fathers nor we had strength to bear?relative — the double οὔτε — Israel's own history testifies against the yoke

But through the grace of the Lord Jesus we believe that we are saved,content — the adversative pivot — χάρις fronted; the answer to v. 1's οὐ δύνασθε σωθῆναι

in the same way as they also are.comparative — the levelling reversed — we like them, not they like us: the Gentiles the model

Barnabas and Paul, then James — the prophets agree 15:12–21

v. 12 — the assembly falls silent and hears the signs

And the whole assembly fell silent,independent — punctual aorist — the debate of v. 7 stops

and they were listening to Barnabas and Paulindependent — durative imperfect against the aorist — sustained listening; Barnabas first, the Jerusalem order

as they related all the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.participial — genitive supplementary participle — again God the actor, δι᾽ αὐτῶν the instrument

vv. 13–18 — James: Simeon's report and the prophets' agreement (Amos 9:11–12 LXX)

And after they fell silent,phrase modifier — fronted articular infinitive — leans on ἀπεκρίθη; the second silence of the scene

James answered, saying:independent — James the Lord's brother, presiding — pleonastic λέγων frames the speech

'Men, brothers, listen to me.content — the prophetic call to attention (Amos 3:1) — fitting for the speech that cites Amos

Simeon has relatedcontent — the Hebrew form Συμεών for Peter — the Jerusalem voice

how God first visited,content — καθώς ≈ 'how' — content of the relating; ἐπεσκέψατο, the verb of God's saving visitation (Lk 1:68)

to take from the Gentiles a people for his name.purpose — purpose infinitive — λαός, Israel's covenant title, now formed ἐξ ἐθνῶν

And with this the words of the prophets agree,content — the hermeneutical claim — the event first, the prophets in harmony with it

just as it is written:comparative — the citation formula — the frame for the Amos catena

'After these things I will return,content — Amos 9:11 LXX — the divine return that opens the oracle

and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen,content — the fallen σκηνή of David — the restored messianic house

and its ruins I will rebuild,content — the object fronted — the ruins themselves raised

and I will restore it,content — the third rebuilding verb — restoration piled on restoration

so that the remnant of humanity may seek the Lord — and all the Gentilespurpose — ὅπως ἄν — the purpose of the rebuilding; LXX 'remnant of humanity' where MT reads 'remnant of Edom': James's argument depends on the LXX

upon whom my name has been called —relative — Semitic resumptive ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς — the Gentiles already bear the name (cf. v. 14)

says the Lord, who does these things,content — the oracle formula — the speaker is the doer

known from of old.'content — verbless close — Amos blended with Isa 45:21: Gentile inclusion no improvisation

vv. 19–21 — the judgment: no trouble, four essentials, Moses in every city

Therefore I judgecontent — inferential διό from the citation — ἐγὼ κρίνω, the chair's judgment, ratified by the assembly (v. 22), not a decree of one

that we should not trouble those from the Gentiles who are turning to God,content — the negative half — ἐπιστρέφουσιν echoes the ἐπιστροφή of v. 3

but that we write to themcontent — the positive half — ἐπιστεῖλαι anticipates the ἐπιστολή of v. 30

to abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what is strangled, and from blood.content — τοῦ + infinitive — the four essentials, the Lev 17–18 resident-alien rules enabling table fellowship

For Moses from ancient generations has, in every city, those who proclaim him,cause — the γάρ-ground of the judgment — Jewish sensibilities are everywhere, so the four abstentions matter

being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.participial — attributive participle on Μωϋσῆς — the law's weekly public voice

The apostolic letter — the fourfold decree 15:22–29

v. 22 — the resolution: two delegates chosen

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church,independent — the first ἔδοξεν — the formal resolution; σὺν ὅλῃ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, the whole assembly ratifies James's κρίνω

to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas —content — complement infinitive with accusative participle — the decision's content

Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas,phrase modifier — apposition — the two named; Silas will become Paul's companion (v. 40)

leading men among the brothers,phrase modifier — second apposition — the delegates carry Jerusalem's full weight

vv. 23–29 — the letter itself: greeting, ground, resolution, essentials, farewell

writing by their hand:participial — nominative participle against ἔδοξεν's datives — Lukan case slippage; the frame for the written document

'The apostles and the elders, brothers, to the brothers throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: greetings.content — the epistolary prescript — sender, address, χαίρειν; brothers writing to brothers

Since we have heardcause — the letter's ground — leans forward on ἔδοξεν (v. 25), the classic ἐπειδή-period

that certain of us [going out] have troubled you with words,content — the frank admission — ἐξ ἡμῶν, they came from Jerusalem; [ἐξελθόντες] bracketed, text-critically uncertain

unsettling your souls —participial — ἀνασκευάζειν — a demolition word: dismantling the souls the gospel had built

to whom we gave no instruction —relative — the formal disavowal — the teachers of v. 1 repudiated by name-withholding

it seemed good to us, having come to one accord,content — the second ἔδοξεν — ὁμοθυμαδόν, Luke's word for the community's unanimity (1:14; 2:46)

to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,content — the resolution's content — ἀγαπητοῖς: Jerusalem's warm commendation of the pair

men who have handed over their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.phrase modifier — dative apposition — the perfect participle: their risk stands as standing credential (cf. 5:41)

We have therefore sent Judas and Silas,content — epistolary perfect — sent, from the readers' vantage

who themselves also will report the same things by word of mouth.participial — the oral supplement — the living voice alongside the letter

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to uscause — the third ἔδοξεν — the Spirit named first as co-author: the decree is pneumatic, not merely conciliar

to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:content — βάρος — Peter's ζυγός echoed and refused; ἐπάναγκες, a NT hapax

to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from sexual immorality;content — the four essentials, reordered from v. 20 — the Western text drops πνικτῶν and adds the Golden Rule, recasting the decree as ethics

By keeping yourselves from these you will do well.content — the closing idiom (cf. 2 Macc 9:19) — continuing relative ἐξ ὧν sweeps up all four

Farewell.'content — the standard Hellenistic farewell — the document closes in form

The letter received at Antioch 15:30–35

vv. 30–32 — the delivery: joy and prophetic strengthening

So they, being dismissed, went down to Antioch,independent — μὲν οὖν again — the formal release from the council; κατῆλθον, down from Jerusalem as v. 1's teachers came

and gathering the multitude,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐπέδωκαν; the whole congregation assembled

they delivered the letter.independent — the ἐπιστολή of v. 20's ἐπιστεῖλαι handed over

And having read it,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐχάρησαν; the public reading

they rejoiced at the encouragement.independent — the joy of v. 3 completed — παράκλησις, what the letter proved to be

And Judas and Silas —independent — suspended subject — the delegates step forward

being themselves also prophets —participial — parenthetic participle — their encouragement is pneumatic, matching the Spirit-authored letter

with many a word encouraged the brothers and strengthened them.independent — the Lukan doublet — παρακαλεῖν and ἐπιστηρίζειν, the full pastoral work

vv. 33, 35 — the return and the staying on (v. 34 is absent from the critical text)

And having spent some time,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἀπελύθησαν

they were sent back in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.independent — μετ᾽ εἰρήνης — shalom restored; v. 34 ('but it seemed good to Silas to remain,' ἔδοξεν δὲ τῷ Σίλᾳ ἐπιμεῖναι αὐτοῦ) is a Western scribal addition explaining v. 40 — absent from the critical text, so the numbering runs 33 → 35

But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch,independent — v. 35 follows v. 33 directly (no v. 34) — durative imperfect: Antioch as settled base

teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.participial — the twin participles of settled ministry — and a church wide enough for 'many others'

The parting — two missions from one contention 15:36–41

vv. 36–38 — the proposal and the disagreement over Mark

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas:independent — Paul now the initiator — the second journey proposed

'Let us return, then, and visit the brothers in every citycontent — hortatory ἐπισκεψώμεθα — the missionaries take up God's own verb of visitation (v. 14)

in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord,relative — plural αἷς with distributive κατὰ πόλιν πᾶσαν — construction according to sense

to see how they are.'content — indirect question — the welfare inquiry: pastoral follow-up, not new territory

But Barnabas wanted to take along John also, the one called Mark;independent — imperfect ἐβούλετο — a persistent wish; Mark is Barnabas's cousin (Col 4:10)

but Paul insistedindependent — imperfect against imperfect — ἠξίου, the counter-position held just as firmly

— the one who had deserted them from Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work —participial — proleptic object of συμπαραλαμβάνειν — ἀποστάντα (13:13), the desertion named before the man; resumed by τοῦτον

not to take this man along.content — complement infinitive — τοῦτον, the cool demonstrative: Luke sides with neither

vv. 39–41 — the παροξυσμός and the two departures

And a sharp contention arose,independent — παροξυσμός — the clinical word for a flare-up; Luke reports without moral verdict

so that they separated from one another:purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): the partnership of chs. 13–14 ends

and Barnabas, taking Mark, sailed away to Cyprus;purpose — second result infinitive, coordinate — Cyprus, Barnabas's home island (4:36), where the first mission began; his last appearance in Acts

But Paul, choosing Silas, departed,independent — Silas — the Jerusalem delegate of v. 22 becomes the new companion; the split doubles the mission

commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers.participial — the church's commissioning (cf. 14:26) — the χάρις of v. 11 now the traveling provision

And he went through Syria and Cilicia,independent — durative imperfect — the letter's own addressees (v. 23) visited first; [τὴν] bracketed

strengthening the churches.participial — ἐπιστηρίζων — the delegates' verb of v. 32 taken up; the chapter ends in motion, mid-participle

Analysis. Acts 15 is the hinge of Acts, and the layout shows a narrative that exists to frame three speeches and one document. The flush-left purple column is Luke's council procedure — were teaching, appointed, passed through, were welcomed, rose up, were gathered, fell silent, it seemed good — while the hinges are carried by anchor-less forward-leaning lines, the genitive absolutes (γενομένης στάσεως, Πολλῆς ζητήσεως γενομένης) and preposed participles that load each scene before its verb strikes. Speech hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying: the Judea teachers' demand with the chapter's one conditional (ἐὰν μὴ περιτμηθῆτε leaning forward on οὐ δύνασθε σωθῆναι); Peter's catena under εἶπεν, running from God's ancient choice through the yoke-question to the through-grace close that saves 'us' the way 'they' are saved (the order reversed against every expectation); and James's catena under λέγων, with the Amos 9:11–12 citation stacked under its καθὼς γέγραπται frame — a citation whose 'remnant of humanity' and 'all the Gentiles' the tags mark as LXX-dependent (the MT reads 'remnant of Edom … they may possess'), since James's whole argument stands on that wording. The letter of vv. 23–29 is laid as a written cnt catena under γράψαντες, with its own epistolary shape as coordinate cola: the prescript, the forward-leaning Ἐπειδή ground disowning the unauthorized teachers, the ἔδοξεν resolutions — the third ἔδοξεν 'to the Holy Spirit and to us' — the four essentials hanging from τῶν ἐπάναγκες, and the Ἔρρωσθε farewell; the triple ἔδοξεν (vv. 22, 25, 28) binds narrative and letter into one act. Cruxes taken or flagged: ἐγὼ κρίνω (v. 19) is read as the presiding chair's judgment, ratified by the assembly, not a unilateral decree; the four essentials appear in two orders (v. 20 vs v. 29) and are tagged as Lev 17–18 resident-alien rules enabling Jewish–Gentile table fellowship (the Western text's ethical recast is noted); [ἐξελθόντες] (v. 24) and [τὴν] (v. 41) stand bracketed; and v. 34 ('but it seemed good to Silas to remain') is a Western addition absent from the critical text — the layout runs 33 → 35 and flags the gap where it falls. The chapter ends in παροξυσμός: two flat δέ-clauses split the mission into two teams, and the last line of the chapter is a participle — strengthening the churches.