Acts 13:17
in Acts 13The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forth out of it.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Acts 13
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The God of this people - Who has manifested himself as the special friend and protector of this nation. This implied a belief that he had been particularly their God; a favorite doctrine of the Jews, and one that would conciliate their favor toward Paul. Of Israel - The Jews. Chose our fathers - Selected the nation to be a chosen and special people to himself, Deu 7:6-7. And exalted the people - Raised them up from a low and depressed state of bondage, to freedom, and to special privileges as a nation.
This site's exposition
motioned with his hand
on Acts 13:16-17
Paul stood up and motioned with his hand, as again at 21:40. He addresses the men of Israel and you Gentiles who fear God, Gentiles who attended the synagogue without full conversion. Both audiences are named before the sermon turns to the Gentiles.
This site's exposition
The God of the people of Israel chose
The sermon begins with God's choice, the note Deuteronomy 7:6 to 8 strikes for Israel's whole story. He made them great in Egypt, where Exodus 1:7 records how they multiplied. God is the subject of nearly every verb.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Behold Barnabas giving place to Paul - how should it be otherwise? - to him whom he brought from Tarsus; just as we find John on all occasions giving way to Peter: and yet Barnabas was more looked up to than Paul: true, but they had an eye only to the common advantage. "Then Paul stood up," it says - this was a custom of the Jews - "and beckoned with his hand." And see how he prepares the way beforehand for his discourse: having first praised them, and showed his great regard for them in the words, "ye that fear God," he so begins his discourse. And he says not, Ye proselytes, since it was a term of disadvantage. "The God of this people chose our fathers: and the people" - See, he calls God Himself their God peculiarly, Who is the common God of men; and shows how great from the first were His benefits, just as Stephen does. This they do to teach them, that now also God has acted after the same custom, in sending His own Son; as Christ Himself does in the parable of the vineyard - "And the people," he says, "He exalted when it sojourned in the land of Egypt" - and yet the contrary was the case: true, but they increased in numbers; moreover, the miracles were wrought on their account: "and with an high arm brought He them out of it." Of these things (the wonders) which were done in Egypt, the prophets are continually making mention.
But what is the "people" which was ignorant of God, but ours, who in days bygone knew not God? and who, in the hearing of the ear, gave heed to Him, but we, who, forsaking idols, have been converted to God?
The Medieval Church1 voice
"God of this people chose our fathers." Having reminded them of ancient events, he points out, just as Stephen did, the great benefactions of God that occurred at that time.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The God - By such a commemoration of God's favours to their fathers, at once their minds were conciliated to the speaker, they were convinced of their duty to God, and invited to believe his promise, and the accomplishment of it.
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers,.... Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their seed after them, to be a peculiar people to himself; wherefore he is often, as here, styled their God, and whom he distinguished and blessed with many blessings, civil and religious, above all people upon the face of the earth.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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.
The God of - our fathers - The apostle begins his discourse with the Egyptian bondage, and their deliverance from it, as points the most remarkable and striking in their history; in which the providence and mighty power of God, exerted so frequently in their behalf, were peculiarly conspicuous. Exalted the people - Even when they were strangers in the land, and greatly oppressed, God exalted them; made them a terror to their enemies, and multiplied them greatly. With a high arm - A literal translation of the Hebrew phrase, בזרוע רמה bezeroa ramah, with a lifted-up arm, to protect them and destroy their enemies. The meaning of the phrase is, a manifest display of the Divine power.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαοῦ | laou | people | G2992 → | 141 times |
| τούτου | toutou | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| Ἰσραὴλ | israel | of Israel | G2474 → | 68 times |
| ἐξελέξατο | exelexato | chose | G1586 → | 22 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατέρας | pateras | fathers | G3962 → | 410 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαὸν | laon | people | G2992 → | 141 times |
| ὕψωσεν | hupsosen | exalted | G5312 → | 20 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παροικίᾳ | paroikia | sojourn | G3940 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| γῇ | gea | [the] land | G1093 → | 248 times |
| Αἰγύπτου | aiguptou | of Egypt | G125 → | 25 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| βραχίονος | brachionos | arm | G1023 → | |
| ὑψηλοῦ | hupselou | uplifted | G5308 → | |
| ἐξήγαγεν | exegagen | brought | G1806 → | 12 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐξ | ex | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| αὐτῆς· | autes | it; | G846 → | 5565 times |
ὁThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
λαοῦpeople
laouG2992 →141 times
τούτουthis
toutouG3778 →1381 times
Ἰσραὴλof Israel
israelG2474 →68 times
ἐξελέξατοchose
exelexatoG1586 →22 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
πατέραςfathers
paterasG3962 →410 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λαὸνpeople
laonG2992 →141 times
ὕψωσενexalted
hupsosenG5312 →20 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
παροικίᾳsojourn
paroikiaG3940 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
γῇ[the] land
geaG1093 →248 times
Αἰγύπτουof Egypt
aiguptouG125 →25 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
βραχίονοςarm
brachionosG1023 →
ὑψηλοῦuplifted
hupselouG5308 →
ἐξήγαγενbrought
exegagenG1806 →12 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
ἐξout of
exG1537 →911 times
αὐτῆς·it;
autesG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Deuteronomy 10:22Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
it leads to
- Genesis 46:27
And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all.
- Exodus 1:5
The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
- Genesis 15:5
And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”
- Deuteronomy 1:10
The LORD your God has multiplied you, so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky.
- Nehemiah 9:23
You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.
- Genesis 46:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies21
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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); Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 29; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.