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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 13:32 mean?

Explanation

[Acts 13:32] speaks directly to the fulfillment of God's promises as foretold through the scriptures and prophets of the Old Testament.

The "glad tidings" refer to the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ and the salvation he brings.

The "promise which was made unto the fathers" signifies the covenant God made with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the prophetic foretelling of a Messiah who would come to save God's people.

In this context, the verse is an affirmation that the historical expectations of a Savior have been met in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

This verse comes from a speech by Paul in Pisidian Antioch during his first missionary journey.

The Book of Acts was written by Luke as a continuation of his Gospel and provides a history of the early Christian church.

Against the background of Jewish expectations of a Messiah and the Roman cultural dominance of the time, this address links the Christian message firmly to Jewish history, showing Christianity as a continuation and fulfillment of Jewish prophecy.

Theological Insights

Theologically, the verse speaks to several key concepts:

Messianic Fulfillment: It reinforces the belief in Jesus as the promised Messiah whose coming was foreseen in the Hebrew scriptures.
Continuity of God's Plan: It illustrates the Christian view that the New Testament is a continuation, rather than a replacement, of the Old Testament.
Universality of the Gospel: Paul's message extends salvation beyond the Jews to Gentiles, thus emphasizing the universal scope of Christian salvation.

Different Christian denominations will have varying emphases on this verse but will generally agree on the fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus Christ.

Practical Applications

In everyday life, Acts 13:32 can serve as a reminder of the following:

The Importance of Prophecy: Believers can take comfort in the reliability of God's promises as seen through fulfilled prophecy.
Hope in Salvation: Christians are called to live in the joy and hope of the 'glad tidings' of salvation through Christ.
The Basis for Evangelism: The verse gives a historical basis for sharing the gospel, encouraging believers to testify about the fulfillment of God's promises.

Cross-References

Luke 24:44 - And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Galatians 3:16 - Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.

He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Language Study

In Acts 13:32, key Greek words include:

"εὐαγγελίζομεν" (euangelizomen) meaning "we declare good news" or "we preach".
"ἐπαγγελία" (epangelia) meaning "promise" or "pledge".
"πατέρων" (pateron) referring to "fathers" or "ancestors," implying a historical promise.

Analysis of these words provides deeper insight into the concept that the apostles were continuing a message rooted in historical divine promises.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Religious and cultural narratives often incorporate the concept of a promised deliverer or savior. For instance, the Persian tradition has a figure known as Saoshyant, an ultimate savior.

While each tradition varies in its details, the common theme of a prophesied savior is a motif that resonates in many faiths. Comparing Acts 13:32 with such myths might offer insights into shared human longings for redemption and restoration.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives focus on empirical evidence and may not directly relate to theological interpretations of scripture like Acts 13:32.

However, discussing the historicity of events described and archaeological findings can provide context to biblical accounts, supporting or questioning their historical claims.

Commentaries

Expert commentaries on Acts 13:32 offer diverse perspectives:

John Calvin stresses the importance of the history of salvation and God's unchanging promise seen in the fulfillment in Christ.

He emphasizes how the Old Testament prophecies are made clear in the New Testament.

Matthew Henry views this verse as a comfort to the faithful, indicating that the promise made to the fathers has come to pass and thus validating the faithfulness of God and the truth of the gospel.
The Pulpit Commentary explores the concept of continuity between the Jewish faith and Christianity, regarding the verse as a bridge linking the Old and New Testaments through the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Acts 13

Acts 13

What does Acts 13:32 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 13:32 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?