Acts 18:15

George Lamsa Translation

But if they are a mere question of words and names and concerning your law, you can settle it better among yourselves; for I do not wish to be a judge of such matters.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But if these are questions about words, names, and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”

King James Version (1611)
But if it be a question of words, and names, and of your law, looke ye to it: for I wil be no iudge of such matters.

King James Version
But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

English Standard Version
But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things."

New American Standard Bible
but if there are questions about teaching and persons and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters."

New Century Version
But the things you are saying are only questions about words and names—arguments about your own law. So you must solve this problem yourselves. I don't want to be a judge of these things."

Amplified Bible
but since it is merely a question [of doctrine within your religion] about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am unwilling to judge these matters."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters."

Legacy Standard Bible
but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am not willing to be a judge of these matters."

Berean Standard Bible
But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things."

Contemporary English Version
But since this concerns only words, names, and your own law, you will have to take care of it. I refuse to judge such matters."

Complete Jewish Bible
But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law, then you must deal with it yourselves. I flatly refuse to judge such matters."

Darby Translation
but if it be questions about words, and names, and the law that ye have, see to it yourselves; [for] *I* do not intend to be judge of these things.

Easy-to-Read Version
But it is only about words and names—arguments about your own law. So you must solve this problem yourselves. I don't want to be a judge of these matters."

Geneva Bible (1587)
But if it bee a question of woordes, and names, and of your Lawe, looke yee to it your selues: for I will be no iudge of those things.

Good News Translation
But since it is an argument about words and names and your own law, you yourselves must settle it. I will not be the judge of such things!"

Lexham English Bible
But if it is questions concerning a word and names and your own law, see to it yourselves! I do not wish to be a judge of these things."

Literal Translation
But if it is a question about a word, and names, and the law according to you, you will see to it yourselves; for I do not wish to be a judge of these things.

American Standard Version
but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters.

Bible in Basic English
But if it is a question of words or names or of your law, see to it yourselves; I will not be a judge of such things.

Hebrew Names Version
but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don't want to be a judge of these matters."

International Standard Version
But since it is a question about words, names, and your own law, you will have to take care of that yourselves. I refuse to be a judge in these matters."

Etheridge Translation
but if they be questions concerning language and names, and concerning your law, let them be known among yourselves; for I am not willing to be a judge of these matters.

Murdock Translation
But if the contests are about words, and about names, and concerning your law, ye must see to it among yourselves, for I am not disposed to be a judge of such matters.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But yf it be a question of wordes and names, or of your lawe, loke ye to it your selues: for I wyll be no iudge of such matters.

English Revised Version
but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters.

World English Bible
but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don't want to be a judge of these matters."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of these matters.

Weymouth's New Testament
But since these are questions about words and names and your Law, you yourselves must see to them. I refuse to be a judge in such matters."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but if questiouns ben of the word, and of names of youre lawe, bisee you silf; Y wole not be domesman of these thingis.

Update Bible Version
but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters.

Webster's Bible Translation
But if it is a question of words and names, and [of] your law, look ye [to it]: for I will be no judge of such [matters].

New English Translation
but since it concerns points of disagreement about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I will not be a judge of these things!"

New King James Version
But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters."

New Living Translation
But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish law, take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters."

New Life Bible
But because it is about words and names and your own Law, you will have to take care of it yourselves. I do not want to judge who is right or wrong in things like this."

New Revised Standard
but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I do not wish to be a judge of these matters."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If, however, they are questions concerning discourse, and names, and law, that which ye have, ye shall see to it, yourselves; A judge of these things, I, am not disposed to be.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But if they be questions of word and names and of your law, look you to it. I will not be judge of such things.

Revised Standard Version
but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I refuse to be a judge of these things."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
but yf it be a question of wordes or of names or of youre lawe loke ye to it youre selves. For I wilbe no iudge in soche maters

Young's Literal Translation
but if it is a question concerning words and names, and of your law, look ye yourselves [to it], for a judge of these things I do not wish to be,'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
but yf it be a question of wordes, and of names, and of ye lawe amoge you, loke ye to it youre selues, I thinke not to be iudge there ouer.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but since it is about disputable matters, about names, and your own law, you may decide that among yourselves: for I won't take cognizance of such affairs."

Simplified Cowboy Version
But this all boils down to him saying something y'all don't like. Quit wasting my time over arguments about words and take care of it yourselves. I'm not going to listen to any more of this nonsense from y'all."

Contextual Overview

¹² And when Gal''li-o was proconsul of Acha''ia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul; and they brought him to the judgment seat, ¹³ Saying, This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law. ¹⁴ And as Paul was desirous to open his mouth and speak, Gal''li-o said to the Jews, If your accusations were based on something criminal, fraudulent, or vicious, I would welcome you properly, O Jews: ¹⁵ But if they are a mere question of words and names and concerning your law, you can settle it better among yourselves; for I do not wish to be a judge of such matters. ¹⁶ And he drove them from his judgment seat. ¹⁷ Then the pagans seized Sos''the-nes, the priest of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gal''li-o disregarded these things.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a question: Acts 23:29, Acts 25:11, Acts 25:19, Acts 26:3, 1 Timothy 1:4, 1 Timothy 6:4, 2 Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9

look: Matthew 27:4, Matthew 27:24

for: Acts 24:6-8, John 18:31

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:16 - a matter 2 Samuel 19:29 - Why speakest Matthew 13:19 - and understandeth John 10:20 - why Acts 24:10 - a judge Acts 26:30 - the king 1 Corinthians 2:14 - they 1 Corinthians 6:1 - having

Cross-References

Genesis 4:9
And the LORD said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? And he said, I do not know. Am I my brothers keeper?

Genesis 12:13
Say, therefore, that you are my sister because I will be treated well for your sake; and my life shall be spared because of you.

Genesis 18:25
Far be it from thee to do such a thing as this, to slay the innocent with the guilty, far be it from thee, O thou Judge of the whole earth! Such a judgment should never be carried out.

Genesis 18:27
And Abraham answered and said, Behold, I have ventured to speak before the LORD, and yet I am but dust and ashes;

Job 2:10
But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. We have indeed received Gods blessings, now shall we not also receive his afflictions? In all these misfortunes Job did not sin, nor did he blaspheme against God with his lips.

Psalms 44:21
God will look into this thing, for he knows the secrets of the heart.

Proverbs 12:19
The lips of truth are forthright; but the tongue of a lying witness is wicked.

Proverbs 28:13
He who hides his transgression shall not prosper; but he who confesses his sins and forsakes them, God will have mercy upon him.

Mark 2:8
But Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were reasoning among themselves, and he said to them, Why do you reason these things in your heart?

John 2:25
And he needed no man to testify to him concerning any man; for he knew well what was in man.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But if it be a question of words,.... "Or of the word", what the Jews called the word of God, which Gallio did not pretend to understand: "and names"; as the names of God, of Jesus, and of Christ, whether he is God, and the Messiah:

and of your law; concerning circumcision, whether these Christians, and the proselytes they make, are obliged unto it:

look ye to it; suggesting that this was a matter that lay before them, and they were the proper judges of, and might determine for themselves, since they had the free exercise of their religion, and a right of judging of everything that respected that within themselves, and for which they were best furnished, as having a more competent knowledge of them; as the Arabic version renders it, "and ye are more learned in these things"; and most conversant with them:

for I will be no judge of such matters; and it would be well if every civil magistrate would act the same part, and not meddle with religious affairs, any further than to preserve the public peace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of words - A dispute about words, for such he would regard all their controversies about religion to be.

And names - Probably he had heard something of the nature of the controversy, and understood it to be a dispute about names; that is, whether Jesus was to be called the Messiah or not. To him this would appear as a matter pertaining to the Jews alone, and to be ranked with their other disputes arising from the difference of sect and name.

Of your law - A question respecting the proper interpretation of the Law, or the rites and ceremonies which it commanded. The Jews had many such disputes, and Gallio did not regard them as coming under his cognizance as a magistrate.

Look ye to it - Judge this among yourselves; settle the difficulty as you can. Compare John 18:31.

For I will be no judge ... - I do not regard such questions as pertaining to my office, or deem myself called on to settle them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 18:15. But if it be a question of words — περι λογου, Concerning doctrine and names - whether the person called Jesus be the person you call the Messiah. And of your law - any particular nicety, concerning that law which is peculiar to yourselves: Look ye to it - settle the business among yourselves; the Roman government does not meddle with such matters, and I will not take upon me to - decide in a case that does not concern my office. As if he had said: "The Roman laws give religious liberty to Jews and Greeks; but, if controversies arise among you on these subjects, decide them among yourselves, or dispute about them as much as you please." A better answer could not be given by man; and it was highly becoming the acknowledged meekness, gentleness, and benevolence of this amiable man. He concluded that the state had no right to control any man's religious opinion; that was between the object of his worship and his own conscience; and therefore he was not authorized to intermeddle with subjects of this nature, which the law left to every man's private judgment. Had all the rulers of the people in every country acted as this sensible and benevolent Roman, laws against liberty of conscience, concerning religious persecution, would not be found to be, as they not are, blots and disgraces on the statute books of almost all the civilized nations of Europe.