Acts 13:24 Themes and Topics

And when he landed at Ceasarea, he went up [Note: This would mean either up to Ceasarea or up to Jerusalem] and greeted the church [there], then went down to Antioch [in Syria]. Verse Concepts

Then they traveled on past Perga and arrived at Antioch in Pisidia where they entered the [Jewish] synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. And after the reading of the law of Moses and [the writings of] the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent [word] to Paul and Barnabas, saying, "Brothers, if you [men] have any message that will exhort [or encourage] the people, you may speak." So, Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand [to get their attention], he said, "You Israelites and those who have great respect for God, listen [to me]. read more.
The God of Israel chose our forefathers [to be His people] and made them a great people when they lived in Egypt, and with His mighty power He led them out of it. For about forty years He tenderly cared for them in the wilderness. And then He destroyed seven nations in the country of Canaan and gave the Israelites the land as an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years. "After that He gave the people judges [i.e., local military rulers] until the time of Samuel the [first] prophet. [See 3:24]. And after that the people asked for a king [to rule their nation] so God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, from the [Israelite] tribe of Benjamin, who ruled as king for forty years. And when God removed him [from the throne of Israel] He raised up David to be their king. God said about him, 'I have found David, the son of Jesse, to be a man close to my heart [i.e., whom I loved very much] and he will do all that I want him to.' [Now] it was this David's descendant Jesus who was sent to Israel as their Savior, just as God had promised. His coming occurred after John [the Immerser] had preached to Israel that those who repented should be immersed [as evidence that they had done so]. As John was completing his ministry he said [to the great crowds], 'Who do you people think I am? [No], I am not the Messiah. But look, Someone is coming [to Israel] after [I complete] my mission whose sandal straps I am not even worthy to unfasten.' "You brothers, descendants of Abraham's family and those of you who respect God very much, this message of salvation was intended for us. For the people living in Jerusalem, together with their ruling officials, did not understand [that Jesus was the Messiah] or what the message of the prophets, which is read every Sabbath day, really meant. So, [because of this] they [actually] made these Scripture predictions come true by condemning Jesus. They asked Pilate to have Him put to death, even though they could not find any [legitimate] reason to execute Him. And when they had done everything that was predicted about Him, they took Jesus down from the tree [i.e., the cross] and placed Him in a tomb. But God raised Him up from the dead so that He was seen for many days by those [apostles] who came with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These men are now His witnesses before the people. And we bring you good news concerning the promise [God] made to our forefathers and has now fulfilled to [us], their children, in raising up Jesus [to be the Messiah], just as it was written in the second Psalm [2:7]: "You [i.e., Jesus] are my Son; this day I have become Your Father." [Now] in regard to God raising Him up from the dead, never to decay, He said this about it [Isa. 55:3], "I will give you the sacred and certain blessings promised to David." God said in another Psalm [16:10], "You will not allow your Holy One to decay." For David died and was buried with his forefathers and [his body] decayed after he had served his generation according to the purpose of God. But Jesus, whom God raised up [from the dead], never did decay. "Brothers, you should know, therefore, that forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed [to people] through this man [Jesus], and [it is] by Him that every believer is made right with God in every way that he could not have been made right by [observing the requirements of] the law of Moses. Beware that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you: [Hab. 1:5 says], "Look, you people who despise [God], and be amazed [at what He can do] and be destroyed [for rejecting Him]; for I [i.e., God] will accomplish such a work during your days that you will not believe [it could happen, even] if someone told you about it." As Paul and Barnabas left [the synagogue], the people urged them to speak [more] about this message the next Sabbath day. Now when the synagogue service was over, many of the Jews and devoted proselytes [i.e., converts to the Jewish religion] followed Paul and Barnabas, who urged them to continue accepting the unearned favor of God. On the following Sabbath day almost everyone in the town [of Antioch in Pisidia] gathered to listen to the message of God. But when the Jews saw the large crowds [gathered to hear the Gospel] they became very jealous and took sharp issue with the things Paul said, and [even] spoke against them. But Paul and Barnabas [continued to] speak out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the message of God be delivered to you [Jews] first. But since you have rejected it and [thereby] consider yourselves to be unworthy of [receiving] never ending life, we [i.e., Paul and Barnabas] will now begin proclaiming it to the [unconverted] Gentiles. For the Lord commanded us to do this by saying, 'I have appointed you to be a light to the [unconverted] Gentiles, so that you should be [the occasion] for [bringing] salvation to the farthest corner of the earth.' " And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and gave honor to the message of God [i.e., they accepted it as true]. And all those who were appointed [by God] to receive never ending life [through faith and obedience] became believers. And the Lord's message was spread far and wide over the entire region. But the Jews incited the devoted [non-Jewish] women who held respected positions, and the principal men of the city, by stirring up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and [succeeded] in running them out of the region. But they shook the dust off of their feet against them [i.e., as an expression of contempt for the people's attitude] and went on to Iconium. But the [newly won] disciples [of the Lord] were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

persecutions and sufferings. You know what kind of things happened to me at Antioch, Iconium and Lystra [See Acts 13:13-14:23], and what [severe] persecutions I experienced [there]. But the Lord rescued me from all of them. Verse Concepts

But Jews came to [Lystra] from Antioch [in Pisidia] and Iconium. When they persuaded the crowds [to reject Paul's message] they stoned him and dragged him out of town, assuming he was dead. But as the disciples stood around [Paul's apparently lifeless body], he [surprisingly] stood up [fully restored to health] and entered the town. On the following day he went with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the good news to that town, and had led many to become disciples, they returned to Lystra, [then] to Derbe, and [then on] to Antioch [in Pisidia]. read more.
[Along the way] they strengthened the hearts of the disciples, urging them to continue [to believe and practice] the faith and [explaining] that entering God's [heavenly] kingdom [See II Tim. 4:18] requires enduring many trials.

Where did the immersion of John come from? From heaven or from men?" And they discussed this among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'from heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe his message?' Verse Concepts

Then some tax collectors came to him to be immersed and asked him, "Teacher, what must we do [i.e., to demonstrate our repentance]?" Verse Concepts

John [the Immerser] was also immersing people in Aenon, near Salem [Note: These locations are thought to have been in northeastern Judea, near the Jordan River], because there was a lot of water there; so people were coming to be immersed. Verse Concepts

You yourselves know [all this, and] how this message was proclaimed throughout Judea, having begun from Galilee after the preaching of the immersion [taught and practiced] by John. Verse Concepts

and people were immersed by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. Verse Concepts

John [the Immerser] came immersing people in the desert and proclaiming that those immersed on the basis of their repentance would receive the forgiveness of sins [from God]. Verse Concepts

And when all the people, together with the tax collectors, heard this they praised God for being so just, and were immersed with the immersion [preached] by John. Verse Concepts

So, John answered them, saying, "I am immersing people in water, but there is Someone among you whom you do not recognize. Verse Concepts

His coming occurred after John [the Immerser] had preached to Israel that those who repented should be immersed [as evidence that they had done so]. Verse Concepts

Paul [again] asked, "Into what were you immersed then?" They answered him, "Into John's immersion." Verse Concepts

John [the Immerser] was also immersing people in Aenon, near Salem [Note: These locations are thought to have been in northeastern Judea, near the Jordan River], because there was a lot of water there; so people were coming to be immersed. Verse Concepts

His coming occurred after John [the Immerser] had preached to Israel that those who repented should be immersed [as evidence that they had done so]. Verse Concepts

Paul [then] said, "John immersed people who [demonstrated their] repentance, telling them they must believe in Jesus, the One who would come after him." Verse Concepts

[People from] Jerusalem and all over Judea and the region around the Jordan River all went out [to the desert] to [hear] him, and people were immersed by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be immersed, John said to them, "You children of snakes, who warned you to run away from the coming wrath [of God]? read more.
Demonstrate by your lives that you have [really] repented, and quit thinking to yourselves, we claim Abraham as our forefather, because I tell you, God is able to make Abraham's children out of these stones. And even now the axe is ready to chop down the trees [i.e., you Jewish people]. Every tree [i.e., person] that does not produce wholesome fruit [i.e., godly, repentant lives] will be cut down and thrown into the fire [i.e., the final punishment of the wicked]. and 12]. "I certainly am immersing you in water following [your] repentance, but the One who follows my [ministry], whose sandals I do not deserve to remove [as His slave], will immerse you people with the Holy Spirit and with fire [i.e., the punishment in hell. See verses His winnowing shovel [Note: This was a process whereby grain was tossed into the air so that the wind could blow the husks away, leaving only good grain on the ground] is in His hand and He will completely clear off His threshing floor [by removing all of the husks]. And He will gather His wheat into the barn, but will burn up the husks with a fire that will never go out."

Truly, I endured [opposition] patiently, while showing evidence of being an apostle among you. I performed [supernatural] signs, and wonders and powerful miracles. Verse Concepts

for our Gospel came to you, not merely in words, but also in power, in [a demonstration of] the Holy Spirit [See I Cor. 2:4] and with ["our" or "your"] deep conviction [of its truth]. You people know what kind of men we were while living among you for your benefit. Verse Concepts

as you hold out [i.e., offer to people] the message of [never ending] life. Then I will have something to boast about on the day of Christ's [return, See 1:6], that I had not run the race for nothing nor had worked for nothing. Verse Concepts

So, Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand [to get their attention], he said, "You Israelites and those who have great respect for God, listen [to me]. The God of Israel chose our forefathers [to be His people] and made them a great people when they lived in Egypt, and with His mighty power He led them out of it. For about forty years He tenderly cared for them in the wilderness. read more.
And then He destroyed seven nations in the country of Canaan and gave the Israelites the land as an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years. "After that He gave the people judges [i.e., local military rulers] until the time of Samuel the [first] prophet. [See 3:24]. And after that the people asked for a king [to rule their nation] so God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, from the [Israelite] tribe of Benjamin, who ruled as king for forty years. And when God removed him [from the throne of Israel] He raised up David to be their king. God said about him, 'I have found David, the son of Jesse, to be a man close to my heart [i.e., whom I loved very much] and he will do all that I want him to.' [Now] it was this David's descendant Jesus who was sent to Israel as their Savior, just as God had promised. His coming occurred after John [the Immerser] had preached to Israel that those who repented should be immersed [as evidence that they had done so]. As John was completing his ministry he said [to the great crowds], 'Who do you people think I am? [No], I am not the Messiah. But look, Someone is coming [to Israel] after [I complete] my mission whose sandal straps I am not even worthy to unfasten.' "You brothers, descendants of Abraham's family and those of you who respect God very much, this message of salvation was intended for us. For the people living in Jerusalem, together with their ruling officials, did not understand [that Jesus was the Messiah] or what the message of the prophets, which is read every Sabbath day, really meant. So, [because of this] they [actually] made these Scripture predictions come true by condemning Jesus. They asked Pilate to have Him put to death, even though they could not find any [legitimate] reason to execute Him. And when they had done everything that was predicted about Him, they took Jesus down from the tree [i.e., the cross] and placed Him in a tomb. But God raised Him up from the dead so that He was seen for many days by those [apostles] who came with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These men are now His witnesses before the people. And we bring you good news concerning the promise [God] made to our forefathers and has now fulfilled to [us], their children, in raising up Jesus [to be the Messiah], just as it was written in the second Psalm [2:7]: "You [i.e., Jesus] are my Son; this day I have become Your Father." [Now] in regard to God raising Him up from the dead, never to decay, He said this about it [Isa. 55:3], "I will give you the sacred and certain blessings promised to David." God said in another Psalm [16:10], "You will not allow your Holy One to decay." For David died and was buried with his forefathers and [his body] decayed after he had served his generation according to the purpose of God. But Jesus, whom God raised up [from the dead], never did decay. "Brothers, you should know, therefore, that forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed [to people] through this man [Jesus], and [it is] by Him that every believer is made right with God in every way that he could not have been made right by [observing the requirements of] the law of Moses. Beware that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you: [Hab. 1:5 says], "Look, you people who despise [God], and be amazed [at what He can do] and be destroyed [for rejecting Him]; for I [i.e., God] will accomplish such a work during your days that you will not believe [it could happen, even] if someone told you about it." As Paul and Barnabas left [the synagogue], the people urged them to speak [more] about this message the next Sabbath day. Now when the synagogue service was over, many of the Jews and devoted proselytes [i.e., converts to the Jewish religion] followed Paul and Barnabas, who urged them to continue accepting the unearned favor of God.

For although you have ten thousand guardians [Note: This word means someone who transported a child to his teacher] in [the fellowship of] Christ, you do not have many [spiritual] fathers. For I [spiritually] conceived you people through [preaching to you] the good news [about Christ]. [Note: Paul here refers to his work in establishing the church at Corinth]. Verse Concepts

[Even] if I am not [accepted as] an apostle with other people, at least I am with you. For you people are my seal [i.e., proof] of my apostleship in [the service of] the Lord. Verse Concepts

So, whether it was I, or the other apostles [who did the work], this is [the message] that we have preached, and that you people have received. Verse Concepts

You people are our letters [of recommendation], written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You people show [i.e., by your conversions] that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us [i.e., the result of our ministry], not written with ink but with the Holy Spirit of the living God; not on stone tablets [i.e., as in the case with Moses' ministry], but on tablets of the human heart. [See Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10].

For He was weak when He was crucified [i.e., by assuming a human body capable of suffering and death], but [now] He lives by God's power. For we too are weak, [along] with Him [i.e., each of us experiences the frailties of a human body], but by [this same] power from God, we will live with Him to serve you. [Note: The various translations differ widely on how to properly translate this difficult verse]. Verse Concepts

Paul [then] said, "John immersed people who [demonstrated their] repentance, telling them they must believe in Jesus, the One who would come after him." Verse Concepts

This was according to what is written in the book containing the words of Isaiah, the prophet [Isa. 40:3ff], "The voice of a man who speaks out in the desert [urging people] to make the road for the Lord ready [for Him to travel]; to make a straight pathway for Him [to walk on]. Every valley will be filled up and every mountain and hill will be leveled. And crooked [roads] will become straight and rough ones smoothed out. And all mankind will see the salvation of God [i.e., become available to them]."

Jesus answered them, "Elijah truly was to come, and restore all things [i.e., to their proper perspective concerning the Messiah]. Verse Concepts

It was even written in Isaiah, the prophet [Note: Verse is quote from Mal. 3:1; verse from Isa. 40:3], "Look, I am sending my messenger on ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you. read more.
He will be the voice of a man shouting out in the desert, [urging people] to make the road for the Lord ready [to travel on]; to make a straight pathway for him." John [the Immerser] came immersing people in the desert and proclaiming that those immersed on the basis of their repentance would receive the forgiveness of sins [from God]. And people from throughout all the regions of Judea and all of Jerusalem went out to John [in the desert]. And he immersed them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. John wore clothing made of camel's hair and he had a leather belt around his waist. He ate grasshoppers and wild honey. In his preaching John said, "One who is more powerful than I am will follow my ministry. I am not [even] worthy to stoop down and loosen the straps of His sandals [i.e., to serve as His slave]. I am immersing you in water, but He will immerse you in the Holy Spirit."

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and he will not drink any wine or intoxicating drinks [Note: This restriction suggests that John may have taken the special vow of consecration making him a "Nazarite"]. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he is born. And he will influence many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. He will go on ahead of the Messiah [See verse 76], in the spirit and power of Elijah, to rekindle the affections of fathers for their children, and [to influence] disobedient people to live wisely like righteous people. And he will prepare the people to be ready for [the coming of] the Lord."

Yes, you [my] child [i.e., John], will be called the prophet of the Highest [i.e., God], for you will go ahead of the Lord's presence to prepare His ways. And [you will] provide the knowledge of salvation to His people, by [granting them] the forgiveness of their sins because of God's merciful compassion. Therefore, the morning sun from above will arise read more.
to shine on those who are sitting in darkness and [are under] the shadow of death, and to direct our feet into the way of peace."

He came to be a witness, so that he might testify concerning that Light, so that all people would believe [in Jesus] through him [i.e., through his testimony. See Acts 19:4]. He himself was not that Light, but came [only] to testify concerning that Light.

John gave testimony about Jesus, shouting out, "This person is the one about whom I said, 'He who will come after me ranks above me because He existed before me.'" Verse Concepts

So, they asked him [again], "[Then], who are you? We need to take back an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He replied, "I am the voice of a man who is calling out in the desert, [urging people to] 'Make the road for the Lord straight,' as Isaiah the prophet said, [Isa. 40:3]." Now those who were sent [i.e., to question John] were Pharisees [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion]. read more.
They asked him, "Why do you immerse people then, if you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the prophet [Moses]?" So, John answered them, saying, "I am immersing people in water, but there is Someone among you whom you do not recognize. He is the One who will follow my ministry; [and] I do not deserve to untie his sandal lace." These things happened in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River where John was immersing people. [Note: This was a different Bethany from the one just outside of Jerusalem].

And I would not have recognized Him, but I came immersing people in water so that He would become known to the Israelites." So, John gave his testimony, saying, "I have seen the Holy Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and it remained on Him. And I did not recognize Him, but He [i.e., God], who sent me to immerse in water, said to me, 'The one on whom you see the Holy Spirit descending and remaining is the same One who [will] immerse people in the Holy Spirit.' read more.
And I have seen and given testimony that this person is the Son of God."