# Connecting Statement:

Peter begins to speak to the apostles and elders who met to discuss whether Gentiles had to receive circumcision and keep the law. (See: [Acts 15:5-6](./05.md))

# General Information:

The first word "them" refers to apostles and elders ([Acts 15:6](./05.md)) and the other words "them" and "their" refer to the believing Gentiles.

# General Information:

Here the word "you" is plural and refers to the apostles and elders present. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-you]])

# General Information:

The word "he" refers to God.

# General Information:

Here "us" is plural and refers to Peter, the apostles and elders, and all Jewish believers in general. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-inclusive]])

# Brothers

Peter is addressing all of the believers who were present.

# by my mouth

Here "mouth" refers to Peter. AT: "from me" or "by me" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])

# the Gentiles should hear

"the Gentiles would hear"

# the word of the gospel

Here "word" stands for a message. AT: "the message about Jesus" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# who knows the heart

Here "heart" refers to the "minds" or "inner beings." AT: "who knows the people's minds" or "who knows what people think" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# witnesses to them

"witnesses to the Gentiles"

# giving them the Holy Spirit

"causing the Holy Spirit to come upon them"

# made no distinction

God did not treat Jewish believers different from Gentile believers.

# making their hearts clean by faith

God's forgiving the Gentile believers' sins is spoken as though he literally cleaned their hearts. Here "heart" stands for the person's inner being. AT: "forgiving their sins because they believed in Jesus" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])