Acts 13:46
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Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, &c.--This is in the highest style of a last and solemn protestation. It was necessary that the word should first have been spoken to you--See the direction of Christ in Luk 24:47; also Rom 1:16. since ye judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life--pass sentence upon yourselves.
Open source ↗We have not yet met with any things concerning the spreading of the gospel to the Gentiles which bears any proportion to the largeness of that commission, "Go, and disciple all nations." The door was opened in the baptizing of Cornelius and his friends; but since then we had the gospel preached to the Jews only, Act 11:19. It should seem as if the light which began to shine upon the Gentile world had withdrawn itself. But here in this chapter that work, that great good work, is revived in the midst of the years; and though the Jews shall still have the first offer of the gospel made to them, yet, upon their refusal, the Gentiles shall have their share of the offer of it. Here is, I. The solemn ordination of Barnabas and Saul, by divine direction, to the ministry, to the great work of spreading the gospel among the nations about (and it is probable that other apostles or apostolical men dispersed themselves by order from Christ, upon the same errand (Act 13:1-3). II. Their preaching the gospel in Cyprus, and the opposition they met with there from Elymas the sorcerer (Act 13:4-13). III. The heads of a sermon which Paul preached to the Jews at Antioch in Pisidia, in their synagogue, which is given us as a specimen of what they usually preached to the Jews, and the method they took with them (v. 14-41). IV. The preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles at their request, and upon the Jews' refusal of it, wherein the apostles justified themselves against the displeasure which the Jews conceived at it, and God owned them (Act 13:42-49). V. The trouble which the infidel Jews gave to the apostles, which obliged them to remove to another place (Act 13:50-52), so that the design of this chapter is to show how cautiously, how gradually, and with what good reason the apostles carried…
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Be advised, therefore, that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”
Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.
When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek.
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory on you.”