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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 13:19 mean?

Explanation

Acts 13:19 recounts a historical event from the perspective of the early Christian Church.

In this verse, the author, traditionally believed to be Luke, is retelling the history of Israel, specifically referring to the period after the Exodus from Egypt when the Israelites entered the Promised Land, Canaan.

This land was inhabited by several nations whom God commanded the Israelites to conquer under the leadership of Joshua, Moses' successor.

After the Israelites successfully destroyed these seven nations, the land was divided among the twelve tribes of Israel by casting lots, a common practice in ancient times to determine God’s will in distributing land and resources.

The verse underscores God's fulfillment of His promise to give the Israelites their own land.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 13:19 is situated within a speech given by Paul in Pisidian Antioch, where he outlines the history of the Jewish people from Egypt to the reign of King David, culminating in the coming of Jesus.

The historical context of the verse refers to the Conquest of Canaan, a period that began around the late 13th century BC, following the Israelite Exodus from Egypt.

This was the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to give his descendants the land of Canaan.

The "seven nations" refers to the groups listed in Deuteronomy 7:1, whom the Israelites were to displace.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse is seen as demonstrating God's sovereignty and faithfulness.

The destruction of the seven nations can be interpreted as divine judgment against their wickedness and a means of keeping the Israelites from idolatry.

The allotment of the land by casting lots reveals a belief in God's direct involvement in human affairs and in the distribution of land as an act of divine providence.

Some theologians may see the verse as more metaphorical, signifying spiritual victory and inheritance rather than a historical record of events.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of this verse can invoke themes such as trust in divine providence, as the Israelites trusted God to deliver on His promise of land.

It can also serve as a reminder of the necessity of obedience to God in order to receive His blessings and inheritance.

The concept of wisely stewarding the resources and opportunities that one believes God has provided could also be drawn from this verse.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 7:1: "When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;"
Joshua 14:1-2: "And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.

By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe."

Proverbs 16:33: "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD."

Language Study

The key terms in the original Greek text of Acts 13:19 include:

"Destroyed" (ἐξολοθρεύω, exolothreuo): To utterly destroy, exterminate, or wipe out.
"Nations" (ἔθνος, ethnos): Typically refers to non-Israelite people groups, Gentiles, or nations.
"Land" (γῆ, ge): Often meaning the earth or ground, but in this context refers to a specific territory, i.e., Canaan.
"Divided" (κατακληρονομέω, kataklēronomeō): To distribute by lot, which in this context means to inherit by divine decision.
"Lot" (κλῆρος, klēros): A lot used to make decisions, akin to casting dice, signifying leaving the decision to God.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

This verse holds parallels to other ancient myths where gods allocate territories among people, such as the way Zeus in Greek mythology is said to have divided control of the world among the gods.

Additionally, in various ancient cultures, the concept of land being allotted by the divine exists, emphasizing a universe governed by deities.

In contrast, in the monotheistic tradition of Judaism, and by extension Christianity, there is one God who is sovereign over land distribution and the fate of nations.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, the destruction of seven nations and the division of their land as described would be analyzed from archaeological and anthropological viewpoints.

Archaeological evidence does shed light on the complex and often violent history of ancient Canaan, but the interpretation of these events as divine acts remains within the realm of faith rather than empirical science.

commentaries

Commentaries on Acts 13:19 offer diverse perspectives.

Some scholars assert the historical accuracy of the events described, seeing them as literal occurrences that demonstrate God's intervention in history.

Others may interpret the verse symbolically, suggesting the "destruction" and "division" represent spiritual victory and the allocation of spiritual gifts or callings.

Still, others may focus on the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the narrative.

Understanding of the verse varies among different theological traditions and individual commentators.

Acts 13

Acts 13

What does Acts 13:19 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 13:19 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?