15:25a

we all agreed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as agreed refers to thinking or believing something. The apostles and elders believed it was right to send some men with this message. The Greek word was often used for an official decision of a group or leader. The same Greek word occurs in 15:22 where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “decided.” See how you translated it there.

The Greek also has the phrase “having become of one mind.” No one disagreed among the apostles and elders. The Berean Standard Bible translates it as all. Other ways to translate the Greek word are:

it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
we have decided unanimously (New Jerusalem Bible)

15:25b

our beloved Barnabas and Paul: The Greek is literally “beloved ones.” It indicates here that the apostles and elders loved Barnabas and Paul as fellow Christians. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

our beloved Barnabas and Paul (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
our well-loved Barnabas and Paul (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
Barnabas and Paul, whom we love

our: The pronoun our indicates that the apostles and elders themselves loved Barnabas and Paul. The apostles and elders wanted to tell the believers in Antioch that they loved Barnabas and Paul as fellow Christians. For example:

our(excl)

The believers in Antioch also loved Barnabas and Paul. In some languages an exclusive “our” will imply that the believers in Antioch did not love Barnabas and Paul. If that is true in your language, use the inclusive “our.” For example:

our(incl)

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