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Acts 15:27
ESV We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.
NIV Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.
NASB Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.
CSB Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth.
NLT We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.
KJV We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
NKJV We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.

What does Acts 15:27 mean?

Paul, Barnabas, and other representatives have gone to Jerusalem for clarification on a message that men from the church in Jerusalem gave to their church in Syrian Antioch. The men had told the Gentile Christians that they must convert to Judaism to worship the Jewish Messiah. Antioch disagrees. The church in Jerusalem debates the issue and confirms the Antiochenes are right (Acts 15:1–21). In addition, even if James, the pastor of the church in Jerusalem, sent the men (Galatians 2:12), he did not give them that message to share (Acts 15:24).

The church in Jerusalem is writing a letter to Antioch and the other churches Paul and Barnabas planted in the district of Galatia in central modern-day Asia Minor. Paul, Barnabas, and the others from Antioch have witnessed the debate and the resolution, but they don't have the authority to represent the church in Jerusalem. So, Judas Barsabbas and Silas will take the letter and repeat the council's decision verbally.

Judas Barsabbas is a bit of a mystery. He isn't mentioned outside of this chapter. "Barsabbas" means "son of the father," which doesn't explain much.

Silas, sometimes called Silvanus, becomes a good friend of Paul's. Paul and Barnabas will go separate ways after differing on whether they should take John Mark on their next missionary journey. Silas, who is also a Roman citizen, will go with Paul (Acts 15:36–41). Silas will be with Paul when they are illegally jailed and beaten in Philippi (Acts 16:22–40), and he will remain with Timothy when Paul has to quickly depart Berea (Acts 17:14; 18:5).
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Context Summary
Acts 15:22–29 records probably the first or second letter sent by a Christian leader with instructions as to how the church should live. A possibly earlier message is what we now call the book of James. The council in Jerusalem has decided: Gentiles do not need to convert to Judaism to receive salvation from Jesus. They are, however, asked to make a few alterations to their dietary and sexual practices. This is not for salvation, but to maintain unity and community in the Jewish-Gentile church.
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Chapter Summary
Paul and Barnabas are in Syrian Antioch, home from their first missionary journey. Legalistic Christians from Jerusalem arrive and insist Gentiles must convert to Judaism. When negotiations fail, a delegation travels to Jerusalem to request clarification from Jesus' closest students. The leadership in Jerusalem agree with Paul and Barnabas. They write a letter that Gentiles should only make concessions, mostly dietary, which will ensure unity with the Jews in their congregation. After delivering the letter to Antioch, Paul takes Silas and Barnabas takes John Mark to share the letter to other churches they have planted.
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