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Acts 13

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:

Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

But God raised him from the dead:

And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

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.

What does Acts 13:16 mean?

Explanation

Acts 13:16 references a moment when Paul speaks to the assembly in a synagogue in Antioch, Pisidia.

He begins his address by calling on two distinct groups: 'Men of Israel' refers to the Jewish people present, and 'ye that fear God' refers to the God-fearing Gentiles, who, while not Jewish, revered the God of Israel and observed some of the Jewish practices.

By gesturing with his hand, Paul is drawing attention and calling for silence, which was a common rhetorical practice to command the audience's focus.

The phrase 'give audience' translates to an invitation for the listeners to hear Paul's forthcoming message.

The verse sets the stage for Paul to expound on Israel's history and to explain how it culminates in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The Book of Acts is authored by Luke and narrates the early history of the Christian church following Jesus Christ's ascension. Acts 13 is part of Paul's first missionary journey, which took place around A.D. 46-48. Paul and his companion Barnabas traveled to various regions to preach the gospel.

The setting is a Jewish synagogue during the Sabbath service, where it was customary for visiting teachers to be invited to speak.

The audience would have been a mix of Jews and Gentile converts or sympathizers to Judaism.

This episode exemplifies the early Christian strategy of initially targeting Jewish communities for the spread of the Christian message.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, Paul's introduction highlights the inclusivity of the Christian message.

By addressing both Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, Paul underscores the broad scope of the gospel.

This moment prefigures the greater opening of the Christian faith to the Gentile world, a significant theological theme in Acts and Paul's letters.

Additionally, it suggests a continuity of God's salvific plan from Israel to the church and hints at Paul's role as an apostle to the Gentiles.

Practical Applications

The practical application of Acts 13:16 may be seen in the approach to sharing one's beliefs or opinions with a diverse audience.

Paul demonstrates the need to address all members in a group, acknowledging their differences but uniting them with a common interest or concern.

In modern settings, this could translate to inclusive and respectful communication that honors everyone's background.

Cross-References

Acts 17:22: "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious."
Acts 28:17: "And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for 'beckoning' is κατασείσας (kataseisas), suggesting a vigorous motion to draw attention.

The term "Men of Israel" (ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, andres Israēlitai) specifically refers to male Jews, while "ye that fear God" (φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεόν, phoboumenoi ton Theon) signifies Gentiles who had a reverence for the Jewish faith.

The call to 'give audience' comes from the Greek term ἀκούσατε (akousate), an imperative form which can be translated as "hear" or "listen."

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, public speaking often involved similar gestures and addresses.

In Greek and Roman society, orators would use hand motions to command attention.

The inclusion of both Jewish listeners and God-fearing Gentiles is somewhat akin to the dual audiences in other religious contexts, where messages were tailored to both initiates and sympathizers.

This approach is indicative of ancient religious proselytizing and outreach efforts.

Scientific Perspectives

The act of beckoning with the hand as a means of drawing attention is a universally recognized gesture, highlighting how nonverbal communication is important in conveying messages.

From a cognitive and psychological standpoint, such gestures help to focus an audience's attention on the speaker and emphasize the importance of the message being delivered.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Acts 13:16 often emphasize the significance of Paul's address as a model for Christian preaching and missionary work.

Scholars might note how Paul bridges the gap between Jewish heritage and Christian belief, setting a framework for understanding Jesus' life and work in the context of Jewish history.

They also point out Paul's oratory skills, his ability to engage with both Jews and non-Jews, and the strategic approach to spreading the gospel message in a multi-cultural context.

Acts 13

Acts 13

What does Acts 13:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 13:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?