Acts 13:15
in Acts 13After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Acts 13
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And after the reading of the law and the prophets - See notes on Luk 4:16. The rulers of the synagogue - Those were persons who had the general charge of the synagogue and its service, to keep everything in order, and to direct the affairs of public worship. They designated the individuals who were to read the Law; and called on those whom they pleased to address the people, and had the power also of inflicting punishment, and of excommunicating, etc. (Schleusner), Mar 5:22, Mar 5:35-36, Mar 5:38; Luk 8:49; Luk 13:14; Act 18:8, Act 18:
This site's exposition
from Perga, they traveled inland
on Acts 13:14-15
Pisidian Antioch is a different city from the Syrian Antioch that sent them. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders invite them to speak. The synagogue's own custom gives Paul the opening for his sermon.
This site's exposition
if you have a word of encouragement
A word of encouragement was a name for a sermon, and Hebrews 13:22 uses the same phrase of the whole letter. The synagogue here had more than one leader, the office Jairus held at Luke 8:41. They address the visitors as brothers.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"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." From this point, we learn the history of Paul's doings, as in what was said above we have learned not a little about Peter.
"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 or exhortation for the people, say on." Behold how they do this without grudging, but no longer after this. If ye did wish this (really), there was more need to exhort.
Such was the case at Laranda, where Evelpis was thus exhorted by Neon; and at I conium, Paulinus was thus exhorted by Celsus; and at Synada, Theodorus also by Atticus, our blessed brethren. And it is probable that this is done in other places also, …
The Medieval Church1 voice
The Jews had the custom of reading on the Sabbath the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and after the reading, of addressing the people with a speech and explaining what had been read. Therefore the rulers of the synagogue invite those who were with …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the chief of the synagogue sent to them - The law was read over once every year, a portion of it every Sabbath: to which was added a lesson taken out of the prophets. After this was over, any one might speak to the people, on any subject he thought convenient.
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Note, When we come together to worship God, we must do it not only by prayer and praise, but by the reading and hearing of the word of God; hereby we give him the glory due to his name, as our Lord and Lawgiver. When that was done, they were asked by the rulers of the synagogue to give them a sermon (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And after the reading of the law and the prophets,....
Every thing is touched in this sermon that might be proper either to convince the judgment or insinuate into the affections of the Jews, to prevail with them to receive and embrace Christ as the promised Messiah.
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,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Men of Israel, and ye that fear God--by the latter expression meaning religious proselytes, who united with the Jews in all acts of ordinary worship. and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in Egypt--by marvellous interpositions for them in their deepest depression.
After the reading of the law and the prophets - A certain portion of the law and another of the prophets, was read every Sabbath; and the law was so divided as to be read over once every year. In the notes at the conclusion of Deuteronomy, I have considered this subject at large, and given a complete table of the Parashoth, sections of the law, and Haphtaroth, sections of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath in the year in the Jewish synagogues. To have an exact view of every part of the Jewish ecclesiastical economy, the reader will do well to consult the above mentioned table, and those which follow it: they have been drawn up with great care, attention, and indescribable labor. It has been a question, in what language were the law and prophets read in a synagogue of Pisidia, for in that district Strabo informs us that four languages were spoken, viz. the Pisidian, the Solyman, the Greek, and the Lydian. Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, with great probability, that the Scriptures were read in the original Hebrew; and that an interpreter tendered the reading to the people in their mother tongue. There is no doubt that the Jews and proselytes understood the Greek tongue well; and they certainly had the Septuagint version among them. The rulers of the synagogue - These were the persons whose business it was to read the appointed sections, and to take care of the synagogue and its concerns; and to see that all was done decently and in order. Sent unto them - Seeing them to be Jews, they wished them to give some suitable address to the people, i.e. to the Jews who were then engaged in Divine worship; for the whole of the following discourse, which greatly resembles that of St. […]
The words behind it
28 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| μετὰ | meta | After | G3326 → | 461 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνάγνωσιν | anagnosin | reading | G320 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νόμου | nomou | law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προφητῶν | propheton | Prophets | G4396 → | 144 times |
| ἀπέστειλαν | apesteilan | sent | G649 → | 132 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχισυνάγωγοι | archisunagogoi | rulers of the synagogue | G752 → | 9 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λέγοντες· | legontes | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἄνδρες | andres | Men | G435 → | 216 times |
| ἀδελφοί, | adelphoi | brothers, | G80 → | 343 times |
| εἴ | ei | if | G1487 → | 508 times |
| τίς | tis | any | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | there is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐν | en | among | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| λόγος | logos | a word | G3056 → | 329 times |
| παρακλήσεως | parakleseos | of exhortation | G3874 → | 29 times |
| πρὸς | pros | toward | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαόν, | laon | people, | G2992 → | 141 times |
| λέγετε.¶ | legete | do speak. | G3004 → | 1325 times |
μετὰAfter
metaG3326 →461 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἀνάγνωσινreading
anagnosinG320 →
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
νόμουlaw
nomouG3551 →192 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
προφητῶνProphets
prophetonG4396 →144 times
ἀπέστειλανsent
apesteilanG649 →132 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχισυνάγωγοιrulers of the synagogue
archisunagogoiG752 →9 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
λέγοντες·saying;
legontesG3004 →1325 times
ἄνδρεςMen
andresG435 →216 times
ἀδελφοί,brothers,
adelphoiG80 →343 times
εἴif
eiG1487 →508 times
τίςany
tisG5100 →528 times
ἐστινthere is
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἐνamong
enG1722 →2738 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
λόγοςa word
logosG3056 →329 times
παρακλήσεωςof exhortation
parakleseosG3874 →29 times
πρὸςtoward
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λαόν,people,
laonG2992 →141 times
λέγετε.¶do speak.
legeteG3004 →1325 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 22:1“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
it leads to
- Acts 7:2
And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
- Acts 7:2
Through
Mark 5:22A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet
it leads to
- Luke 13:14
But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on…
- Acts 18:17
At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.
- Mark 5:35–36
While He was still speaking, messengers from the house of Jairus arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?”
- Acts 18:8
Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his whole household believed in the Lord. And many of the Corinthians who heard the message believed and were baptized.
- Luke 13:14
Through
Acts 18:17At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:1
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
- 1 Corinthians 1:1
Through
Hebrews 13:22I urge you, brothers, to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have only written to you briefly.
it leads to
- Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.
- Hebrews 3:1
Through
Acts 15:21For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
it leads to
- Acts 13:27
The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
- Acts 13:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies19
On this verse
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About Acts
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alexander of Jerusalem, Commentary (church-history corpus); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 28; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles, Expositor's Greek Testament and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.