Logos Bible Study

Acts 13:46–52

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13:46Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously,171 “It was necessary to speak the word of God172 to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy173 of eternal life, we174 are turning to the Gentiles.17513:47For this176 is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed177 you to be a light178 for the Gentiles, to bring salvation179 to the ends of the earth.’ ”18013:48When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice181 and praise182 the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal life183 believed. 13:49So the word of the Lord was spreading184 through the entire region. 13:50But the Jews incited185 the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out186 of their region. 13:51So after they shook187 the dust off their feet188 in protest against them, they went to Iconium.18913:52And the disciples were filled with joy190 and with the Holy Spirit.

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Footnotes

  1. 171 Grk “Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out courageously and said.” The redundancy is removed in the translation and the verb “replied” is used in keeping with the logical sequence of events. The theme of boldness reappears: Acts 4:24–30; 9:27–28.
  2. 172 Grk “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.
  3. 173 Or “and consider yourselves unworthy.”
  4. 174 Grk “behold, we.” In this context ἰδού (idou) is not easily translated into English.
  5. 175 This turning to the Gentiles would be a shocking rebuke to 1st century Jews who thought they alone were the recipients of the promise.
  6. 176 Here οὕτως (houtōs) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by οὕτω/οὕτως 2.
  7. 177 τίθημι 3.a has “τιθέναι τινὰ εἴς τι place/appoint someone to or for (to function as) someth.… Ac 13:47.” This is a double accusative construction of object (“you”) and complement (“a light”).
  8. 178 Paul alludes here to the language of the Servant in Isaiah, pointing to Isa 42:6; 49:6. He and Barnabas do the work of the Servant in Isaiah.
  9. 179 Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”
  10. 180 An allusion to Isa 42:6 and 49:6. The expression the ends of the earth recalls Luke 3:6 and Acts 1:8. Paul sees himself and Barnabas as carrying out the commission of Luke 24:27. (See 2 Cor 6:2, where servant imagery also appears concerning Paul’s message.)
  11. 181 The imperfect verb ἔχαιρον (echairon) and the following ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon) are translated as ingressive imperfects.
  12. 182 Or “glorify.” Although “honor” is given by δοξάζω as a translation, it would be misleading here, because the meaning is “to honor in the sense of attributing worth to something,” while in contemporary English usage one speaks of “honoring” a contract in the sense of keeping its stipulations. It is not a synonym for “obey” in this context (“obey the word of the Lord”), but that is how many English readers would understand it.
  13. 183 Note the contrast to v. 46 in regard to eternal life.
  14. 184 διαφέρω 1 has “spread” for διαφέρετο (diaphereto) in connection with a teaching. This is the first summary since Acts 9:31.
  15. 185 For the translation of παρώτρυναν (parōtrunan) as “incited” see παροτρύνω.
  16. 186 ἐκβάλλω 1 has “throw out.” Once again, many Jews reacted to the message (Acts 5:17, 33; 6:11; 13:45).
  17. 187 The participle ἐκτιναξάμενοι (ektinaxamenoi) is taken temporally. It could also be translated as a participle of attendant circumstance (“So they shook … and went”).
  18. 188 Shaking the dust off their feet was a symbolic gesture commanded by Jesus to his disciples, Matt 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5. It shows a group of people as culpable before God.
  19. 189 Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 90 mi (145 km) east southeast of Pisidian Antioch. It was the easternmost city of Phrygia.
  20. 190 The citizens of Pisidian Antioch were not discouraged by the persecution, but instead were filled with joy.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

“ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,

that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

“ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,

that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

I have made you

a light for the Gentiles

to bring salvation

to the ends of the earth.”

When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district. But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. For the Lord gave us this command when he said,

‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles,

to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’”

When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region.

Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium. And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Both Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you, since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life! Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles! For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles,

that you would bring salvation to the end of the earth.’

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of the Lord. And all those who were designated for eternal life believed. So the word of the Lord was carried through the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high social standing and the most prominent men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their district. So after shaking off the dust from their feet against them, they went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

KJV 1900King James Version

Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.