Acts 13:31-52

13:31 and ¹  for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied ²  him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These ³  are now his witnesses to the people. 13:32 And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors, ⁴  13:33 that this promise ⁵  God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising ⁶  Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; ⁷  today I have fathered you.’ ⁸  13:34 But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesus ⁹  from the dead, never ¹⁰  again to be ¹¹  in a state of decay, God ¹²  has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you ¹³  the holy and trustworthy promises ¹⁴  made to David.’ ¹⁵  13:35 Therefore he also says in another psalm, ¹⁶  ‘You will not permit your Holy One ¹⁷  to experience ¹⁸  decay.’ ¹⁹  13:36 For David, after he had served ²⁰  God’s purpose in his own generation, died, ²¹  was buried with his ancestors, ²²  and experienced ²³  decay, 13:37 but the one ²⁴  whom God raised up did not experience ²⁵  decay. 13:38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one ²⁶  forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 13:39 and by this one ²⁷  everyone who believes is justified ²⁸  from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify ²⁹  you. ³⁰  13:40 Watch out, ³¹  then, that what is spoken about by ³²  the prophets does not happen to you:

13:41 ‘Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish! ³³ 

For I am doing a work in your days,

a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’” ³⁴ 

13:42 As Paul and Barnabas ³⁵  were going out, ³⁶  the people ³⁷  were urging ³⁸  them to speak about these things ³⁹  on the next Sabbath. 13:43 When the meeting of the synagogue ⁴⁰  had broken up, ⁴¹  many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytes ⁴²  followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuading ⁴³  them ⁴⁴  to continue ⁴⁵  in the grace of God.

13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled together to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁶  13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, ⁴⁷  and they began to contradict ⁴⁸  what Paul was saying ⁴⁹  by reviling him. ⁵⁰  13:46 Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, ⁵¹  “It was necessary to speak the word of God ⁵²  to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy ⁵³  of eternal life, we ⁵⁴  are turning to the Gentiles. ⁵⁵  13:47 For this ⁵⁶  is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed ⁵⁷  you to be a light ⁵⁸  for the Gentiles, to bring salvation ⁵⁹  to the ends of the earth.’” ⁶⁰  13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice ⁶¹  and praise ⁶²  the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal life ⁶³  believed. 13:49 So the word of the Lord was spreading ⁶⁴  through the entire region. 13:50 But the Jews incited ⁶⁵  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 out ⁶⁶  of their region. 13:51 So after they shook ⁶⁷  the dust off their feet ⁶⁸  in protest against them, they went to Iconium. ⁶⁹  13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy ⁷⁰  and with the Holy Spirit.

[13:31]  ¹ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the conjunction “and” and the pronoun “he” at this point to improve the English style.

[13:31]  ² sn Those who had accompanied him refers to the disciples, who knew Jesus in ministry. Luke is aware of resurrection appearances in Galilee though he did not relate any of them in Luke 24.

[13:31]  ³ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “these” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the awkwardness of two relative clauses (“who for many days appeared” and “who are now his witnesses”) following one another.

[13:32]  ⁴ tn Or “to our forefathers”; Grk “the fathers.”

[13:33]  ⁵ tn Grk “that this”; the referent (the promise mentioned in the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:33]  ⁶ tn Or “by resurrecting.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") is taken as instrumental here.

[13:33]  ⁷ sn You are my Son. The key to how the quotation is used is the naming of Jesus as “Son” to the Father. The language is that of kingship, as Ps 2 indicates. Here is the promise about what the ultimate Davidic heir would be.

[13:33]  ⁸ tn Grk “I have begotten you.” The traditional translation for γεγέννηκα (gegennhka, “begotten”) is misleading to the modern English reader because it is no longer in common use. Today one speaks of “fathering” a child in much the same way speakers of English formerly spoke of “begetting a child.”

[13:34]  ⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ¹⁰ tn Although μηκέτι (mhketi) can mean “no longer” or “no more,” the latter is more appropriate here, since to translate “no longer” in this context could give the reader the impression that Jesus did experience decay before his resurrection. Since the phrase “no more again to be” is somewhat awkward in English, the simpler phrase “never again to be” was used instead.

[13:34]  ¹¹ tn The translation “to be in again” for ὑποστρέφω (Jupostrefw) is given in L&N 13.24.

[13:34]  ¹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ¹³ tn The pronoun “you” is plural here. The promises of David are offered to the people.

[13:34]  ¹⁴ tn Or “the trustworthy decrees made by God to David.” The phrase τὰ ὅσια Δαυὶδ τὰ πιστά (ta Josia Dauid ta pista) is “compressed,” that is, in a very compact or condensed form. It could be expanded in several different ways. BDAG 728 s.v. ὅσιος 3 understands it to refer to divine decrees: “I will grant you the sure decrees of God relating to David.” BDAG then states that this quotation from Isa 55:3 is intended to show that the following quotation from Ps 16:10 could not refer to David himself, but must refer to his messianic descendant (Jesus). L&N 33.290 render the phrase “I will give to you the divine promises made to David, promises that can be trusted,” although they also note that τὰ ὅσια in Acts 13:34 can mean “divine decrees” or “decrees made by God.” In contemporary English it is less awkward to translate πιστά as an adjective (“trustworthy”). The concept of “divine decrees,” not very understandable to the modern reader, has been replaced by “promises,” and since God is the implied speaker in the context, it is clear that these promises were made by God.

[13:34]  ¹⁵ sn A quotation from Isa 55:3. The point of this citation is to make clear that the promise of a Davidic line and blessings are made to the people as well.

[13:35]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “Therefore he also says in another”; the word “psalm” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[13:35]  ¹⁷ tn The Greek word translated “Holy One” here (ὅσιόν, {osion) is related to the use of ὅσια (Josia) in v. 34. The link is a wordplay. The Holy One, who does not die, brings the faithful holy blessings of promise to the people.

[13:35]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “to see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “to see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “to look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”

[13:35]  ¹⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 16:10.

[13:36]  ²⁰ tn The participle ὑπηρετήσας (Juphrethsa") is taken temporally.

[13:36]  ²¹ tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.

[13:36]  ²² tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “was gathered to his fathers” (a Semitic idiom).

[13:36]  ²³ tn Grk “saw,” but the literal translation of the phrase “saw decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “looked at decay,” while here “saw decay” is really figurative for “experienced decay.” This remark explains why David cannot fulfill the promise.

[13:37]  ²⁴ sn The one whom God raised up refers to Jesus.

[13:37]  ²⁵ tn Grk “see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “did not see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “did not look at decay,” while here “did not see decay” is really figurative for “did not experience decay.”

[13:38]  ²⁶ tn That is, Jesus. This pronoun is in emphatic position in the Greek text. Following this phrase in the Greek text is the pronoun ὑμῖν (Jumin, “to you”), so that the emphasis for the audience is that “through Jesus to you” these promises have come.

[13:39]  ²⁷ sn This one refers here to Jesus.

[13:39]  ²⁸ tn Or “is freed.” The translation of δικαιωθῆναι (dikaiwqhnai) and δικαιοῦται (dikaioutai) in Acts 13:38-39 is difficult. BDAG 249 s.v. δικαιόω 3 categorizes δικαιωθῆναι in 13:38 (Greek text) under the meaning “make free/pure” but categorizes δικαιοῦται in Acts 13:39 as “be found in the right, be free of charges” (BDAG 249 s.v. δικαιόω 2.b.β). In the interest of consistency both verbs are rendered as “justified” in this translation.

[13:39]  ²⁹ tn Or “could not free.”

[13:39]  ³⁰ tn Grk “from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation, with “by the law of Moses” becoming the subject of the final clause. The words “from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify you” are part of v. 38 in the Greek text, but due to English style and word order must be placed in v. 39 in the translation.

[13:40]  ³¹ sn The speech closes with a warning, “Watch out,” that also stresses culpability.

[13:40]  ³² tn Or “in.”

[13:41]  ³³ tn Or “and die!”

[13:41]  ³⁴ sn A quotation from Hab 1:5. The irony in the phrase even if someone tells you, of course, is that Paul has now told them. So the call in the warning is to believe or else face the peril of being scoffers whom God will judge. The parallel from Habakkuk is that the nation failed to see how Babylon’s rising to power meant perilous judgment for Israel.

[13:42]  ³⁵ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:42]  ³⁶ tn Or “were leaving.” The participle ἐξιόντων (exiontwn) is taken temporally.

[13:42]  ³⁷ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:42]  ³⁸ tn Or “begging,” “inviting.”

[13:42]  ³⁹ tn Or “matters.”

[13:43]  ⁴⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:43]  ⁴¹ tn BDAG 607 s.v. λύω 3 has “λυθείσης τ. συναγωγῆς when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up Ac 13:43.”

[13:43]  ⁴² tn Normally the phrase σεβόμενοι τὸν θεόν (sebomenoi ton qeon) refers to Gentiles (“God-fearers”) who believed in God, attended the synagogue, and followed the Mosaic law to some extent, but stopped short of undergoing circumcision. BDAG 918 s.v. σέβω 1.b lists in this category references in Acts 16:14; 18:7; with σεβόμενοι alone, Acts 13:50; 17:4, 17; the phrase is also found in Josephus, Ant. 14.7.2 (14.110). Unique to this particular verse is the combination σεβόμενοι προσηλύτων (sebomenoi proshlutwn). Later rabbinic discussion suggests that to be regarded as a proper proselyte, a Gentile male had to submit to circumcision. If that is the case here, these Gentiles in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch should be regarded as full proselytes who had converted completely to Judaism and undergone circumcision. It is probably more likely, however, that προσηλύτων is used here in a somewhat looser sense (note the use of σεβομένας [sebomena"] alone to refer to women in Acts 13:50) and that these Gentiles were still in the category commonly called “God-fearers” without being full, technical proselytes to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44. Regardless, the point is that many Gentiles, as well as Jews, came to faith.

[13:43]  ⁴³ tn This is the meaning given for ἔπειθον (epeiqon) in this verse by BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b.

[13:43]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “who, as they were speaking with them, were persuading them.”

[13:43]  ⁴⁵ tn The verb προμένειν (promenein) is similar in force to the use of μένω (menw, “to reside/remain”) in the Gospel and Epistles of John.

[13:44]  ⁴⁶ tc Most mss (B* C E Ψ Ï sy bo) read θεοῦ (qeou, “of God”) here instead of κυρίου (kuriou, “of the Lord”). Other mss, among them some important early witnesses (Ì⁷⁴ א A B² 33 81 323 945 1175 1739 al sa), read κυρίου. The external evidence favors κυρίου, though not decisively. Internally, the mention of “God” in v. 43, and especially “the word of God” in v. 46, would provide some temptation for scribes to assimilate the wording in v. 44 to these texts.

[13:45]  ⁴⁷ sn They were filled with jealousy. Their foolish response to the gospel is noted again (see Acts 5:17). The same verb is used in Acts 7:9; 17:5.

[13:45]  ⁴⁸ tn The imperfect verb ἀντέλεγον (antelegon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect in the logical sequence of events: After they were filled with jealousy, the Jewish opponents began to contradict what Paul said.

[13:45]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “the things being said by Paul.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:45]  ⁵⁰ tn The participle βλασφημοῦντες (blasfhmounte") has been regarded as indicating the means of the action of the main verb. It could also be translated as a finite verb (“and reviled him”) in keeping with contemporary English style. The direct object (“him”) is implied rather than expressed and could be impersonal (“it,” referring to what Paul was saying rather than Paul himself), but the verb occurs more often in contexts involving defamation or slander against personal beings (not always God). For a very similar context to this one, compare Acts 18:6. The translation “blaspheme” is not used because in contemporary English its meaning is more narrowly defined and normally refers to blasphemy against God (not what Paul’s opponents were doing here). The modern term “slandering” comes close to what was being done to Paul here.

[13:46]  ⁵¹ tn 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.

[13:46]  ⁵² tn 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.

[13:46]  ⁵³ tn Or “and consider yourselves unworthy.”

[13:46]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “behold, we.” In this context ἰδού (idou) is not easily translated into English.

[13:46]  ⁵⁵ sn This turning to the Gentiles would be a shocking rebuke to 1st century Jews who thought they alone were the recipients of the promise.

[13:47]  ⁵⁶ tn Here οὕτως (Joutws) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by BDAG 742 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως 2.

[13:47]  ⁵⁷ tn BDAG 1004 s.v. 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”).

[13:47]  ⁵⁸ sn 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.

[13:47]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”

[13:47]  ⁶⁰ sn 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.)

[13:48]  ⁶¹ tn The imperfect verb ἔχαιρον (ecairon) and the following ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon) are translated as ingressive imperfects.

[13:48]  ⁶² tn Or “glorify.” Although “honor” is given by BDAG 258 s.v. 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.

[13:48]  ⁶³ sn Note the contrast to v. 46 in regard to eternal life.

[13:49]  ⁶⁴ tn BDAG 239 s.v. διαφέρω 1 has “spread” for διαφέρετο (diafereto) in connection with a teaching. This is the first summary since Acts 9:31.

[13:50]  ⁶⁵ tn For the translation of παρώτρυναν (parwtrunan) as “incited” see BDAG 780 s.v. παροτρύνω.

[13:50]  ⁶⁶ tn BDAG 299 s.v. ἐκβάλλω 1 has “throw out.” Once again, many Jews reacted to the message (Acts 5:17, 33; 6:11; 13:45).

[13:51]  ⁶⁷ tn The participle ἐκτιναξάμενοι (ektinaxamenoi) is taken temporally. It could also be translated as a participle of attendant circumstance (“So they shook…and went”).

[13:51]  ⁶⁸ sn 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.

[13:51]  ⁶⁹ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 90 mi (145 km) east southeast of Pisidian Antioch. It was the easternmost city of Phrygia.

[13:52]  ⁷⁰ sn The citizens of Pisidian Antioch were not discouraged by the persecution, but instead were filled with joy.