PrevActs 13:51Next

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 13:51 mean?

Explanation

Acts 13:51 describes an event where Paul and Barnabas, two of the early Christian missionaries, experienced rejection in the city of Antioch in Pisidia (modern-day Turkey).

In response to this opposition, they performed a symbolic act by shaking the dust off their feet before leaving the city and moving on to Iconium.

Shaking the dust off their feet was a symbolic gesture of renunciation.

It signifies a disassociation from those rejecting their message and served as a warning that the inhabitants were responsible for their rejection of the Gospel.

This act demonstrated that Paul and Barnabas had done their duty in presenting the message and that any judgment would now be upon the heads of the rejecters.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Within the context of Acts, Paul and Barnabas were on their first missionary journey, which took place around A.D. 46-48. Their mission was to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ and to establish churches. This journey led them through various regions, including the city of Antioch in Pisidia.

Culturally, the act of shaking dust from one's feet was a Jewish practice that signified separation and a declaration of innocence.

It was a traditional way of showing that one was leaving behind the impurity of a place and disassociating oneself from its inhabitants.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse underscores the idea of Christian witness and the concept of accountability.

In the face of opposition, believers are to present the Gospel; whether it is accepted or rejected, their responsibility ends with that proclamation.

This aligns with teachings on the free will of individuals to accept or reject God's message.

Some Christian traditions see this as an example of the rejection that disciples of Jesus might face and the proper response to it, continuing in obedience to God's calling despite opposition.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, this verse could be applied in various ways. It speaks to the resilience and commitment required in missionary work or any endeavor that involves proclaiming one's beliefs.

It suggests that rejection is not a reason to give up, but rather a signal to move forward and continue one's efforts elsewhere.

It also has implications for how one might deal with opposition in everyday situations, teaching followers to make peace with the fact that not every message will be warmly received, and sometimes the best action is to let go and move on.

Cross-References

Matthew 10:14: "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."
Mark 6:11: "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them.

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city."

Language Study

The original Greek phrase for "shook off the dust of their feet" is "ἐκτιναξάμενοι τὸν κονιορτὸν τῶν ποδῶν".

The verb "ἐκτιναξάμενοι" (ektinaxamenoi) translates as "shook off," indicating a vigorous action of separation.

The noun "κονιορτὸν" (konioorton) means "dust," which is metaphorically used to represent any attachment or association with the city's inhabitants and their rejection.

The phrase as a whole signifies a complete and intentional disassociation.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultural practices, dust and dirt often symbolized mourning, uncleanness, or something to be rejected.

Jewish customs also interpreted the shaking off of dust as a form of protest or disassociation. Comparatively, in other cultures and religions, there were similar practices of cleansing or shaking off unwanted associations as well.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific standpoint, the action of shaking dust from one's feet has no inherent effect on the individuals or places left behind.

However, it is a physical representation of a psychological and social process of severance and boundary-setting, which can be analyzed in terms of social psychology and group dynamics.

Commentaries

Biblical commentaries typically interpret this verse as illustrating a practice commended by Jesus when he sent out the twelve apostles (as referenced in Matthew 10:14 and Mark 6:11).

Renowned Biblical scholars such as Matthew Henry and John Gill mention this act as a testimony against those who are obstinate and their consequent accountability before God.

It is also seen as a fulfillment of Jesus' instructions to his disciples, showcasing the obedience of Paul and Barnabas to their commission.

Acts 13

Acts 13

What does Acts 13:51 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 13:51 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?