John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:14
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles ,.... James begins with taking notice of Peter's speech, and agrees to it, and confirms it; for by Simeon is not meant, as some have thought, the Simeon that took Christ in his arms, Luke 2:25 who had been dead long ago; but Simon Peter, who had spoken before. Simon and Simeon are one and the same name; the former is only a contraction of the latter in the Syriac language; Simeon was his pure Hebrew name, and James speaking... read more
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 15:13
And after they had held their peace ,.... Meaning not the multitude, but Paul and Barnabas; when they had finished their account, and had done speaking: James answered ; or rose up, as the Syriac version reads, he stood up and began to speak. This was James the son of Alphaeus, one of the twelve apostles, sometimes called the brother of the Lord; for the other James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, was dead, being killed by Herod, Acts 12:2 but this was the brother of Jude, and... read more