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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 13:52 mean?

Explanation

[Acts 13:52] is situated at the end of a passage in which Paul and Barnabas are preaching in Antioch of Pisidia, one of the stops during Paul's first missionary journey.

The verse describes the immediate state of the disciples after Paul and Barnabas have been expelled from the region by the local Jewish leaders.

Despite their expulsion and the persecution they faced, the disciples are described as being "filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." This indicates a sense of spiritual triumph and resilience, reflecting an inner peace and happiness that surpasses their external circumstances.

The "joy" is often interpreted as being rooted in their faith and salvation, while being "filled with the Holy Ghost" suggests they were empowered, comforted, and guided by the Holy Spirit in the face of adversity.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The Book of Acts, written by Luke, documents the early history of the Christian church following Jesus's resurrection and ascension.

Acts 13:52 comes after Paul and Barnabas had been preaching in the Jewish synagogues and winning converts to Christianity, which led to jealousy and opposition from some Jewish leaders.

Their eventual eviction from the region reflects the wider historical context in which the early Christians often encountered hostility from both Jewish authorities and Roman officials.

The disciples’ joy in spite of persecution is illustrative of the early Christian experience of suffering for the sake of the gospel.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse captures the paradox of Christian joy in the midst of suffering, a theme common in the New Testament.

It demonstrates the belief that the presence of the Holy Spirit within believers can provide profound joy and peace, regardless of external trials.

Different theological interpretations focus on the Holy Spirit as a comforter, as a source of strength, and as a guarantee of God's presence.

The joy experienced by the disciples may also be seen as a foretaste of the heavenly joy promised to believers.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Acts 13:52 encourages believers to seek joy and fulfillment not in their circumstances but in their relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.

Christians can apply this teaching by fostering a deep reliance on the Holy Spirit, especially when facing trials or persecution.

Additionally, the verse can serve as a reminder to celebrate spiritual victories and the growth of faith communities despite external challenges.

Cross-References

Romans 15:13: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."
1 Peter 1:8: "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:"
Galatians 5:22: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"

Language Study

The key words in this verse are "joy" (χαρὰ in Greek), often associated with happiness and gladness, and "Holy Ghost" (Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα in Greek), which refers to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

The phrase "filled with" (πληρόω in Greek) conveys the idea of being made complete or fully influenced by what fills the individual.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

This expression of joy in the face of adversity has parallels in various religious traditions.

In Buddhism, the concept of joy (muditā) as a sublime state that arises from the happiness of others is somewhat analogous.

In many ancient myths, heroes often display a form of resilience and joy even in suffering, although the source of their resilience is typically seen in their heroic qualities, rather than a divine presence.

Scientific Perspectives

Science acknowledges the impact of belief and mental resilience on human well-being.

Studies in psychology suggest that people who maintain positive emotions and a sense of purpose during stress tend to recover better from adverse events.

This aligns with the experience of the disciples in Acts 13:52, suggesting a link between faith-based practices and psychological resilience.

commentaries

Commentaries on this verse typically emphasize the counterintuitive response of the disciples, highlighting their joy as evidence of a supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit.

John Calvin writes of the "double grace" shown to the disciples: they were "armed with power from heaven" to face afflictions, and they possessed an "inward joy of the mind." Matthew Henry's commentary sees this verse as an example of the early Christians' joy that "was the more generous and noble because it was in tribulation." Contemporary scholars often discuss the Holy Spirit's role in empowerment and comfort, agreeing that this verse exemplifies the transformative power of the Spirit in the lives of believers.

Acts 13

Acts 13

What does Acts 13:52 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 13:52 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?