15:4a–b
they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:
the church and the apostles and elders welcomed them
welcomed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as welcomed indicates here that they accepted Paul, Barnabas and the others as fellow believers, and greeted them in a friendly manner. It also implies that they showed them hospitality, giving them food and a place to sleep while in Jerusalem. Consider how to translate that meaning in your language. Some other ways to translate this are:
greeted them kindly/happily
-or-
received them ⌊as guests⌋
-or-
accepted them ⌊and showed them hospitality⌋
the church and apostles and elders: The apostles and elders were a part of the church. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that the apostles and elders were separate from the church. If that is true in your language, indicate they are a part of the church. For example:
the church, including the apostles and elders,
15:4c
they reported all that God had done through them: In Greek, this clause repeats almost identically a clause in 14:27. See how you translated it there.
they…them: These two pronouns refer to Paul and Barnabas. It does not refer to the others who traveled with them to Jerusalem.
reported: This word refers to fully telling what happened. Other ways to translate this word are:
informed
-or-
told in detail
through them: In Greek, this is literally “with them.” God did this work, but he did it “with” or through Paul and Barnabas. This refers to God causing or helping Paul and Barnabas to preach and then working in the hearts of the listeners so that many of them believed in Jesus (chapters 13–14). Some other ways to translate this are:
with them
-or-
using them
-or-
helping/enabling them
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