Acts 26:17
in Acts 26I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,
KJV
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
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This verse in Acts 26
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Delivering thee from the people - From the Jewish people. This implied that he would be persecuted by them, and that the Lord Jesus would interpose to rescue him. And from the Gentiles - This also implied that he would be persecuted and opposed by them - a prospect which was verified by the whole course of his ministry. Yet in all he experienced, according to the promise, the support and the protection of the Lord Jesus. This was expressed in a summary manner in Luk 9:16. Unto whom now I send thee - Act 22:
This site's exposition
rescue you from your own people
on Acts 26:17-18
Paul is sent to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Darkness is paired with Satan's power and light with God, making the mission a rescue.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Since he has mentioned the vision, he then without fear goes on to speak also of the good wrought by it. "To turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. For to this end have I appeared unto thee," not to punish, but to make thee an Apostle. He shows the evils which possess unbelievers, "Satan, darkness;" the good things belonging to believers, light, God, "the inheritance of the saints."
"Wherefore, then, I send thee to the Gentiles," it is said, "to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Me." Such, then, are the eyes of the blind which are opened.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Delivering thee from the people - The Jews and the Gentiles, to whom, both Jews and Gentiles, I now send thee - Paul gives them to know, that the liberty he enjoys even in bonds, was promised to him, as well as his preaching to the Gentiles. I, denotes the authority of the sender. Now, the time whence his mission was dated.
Delivering thee from the people,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
BEHOLD an amazing sight! Saul of Tarsus at the feet of Jesus of Nazareth! Listen! The persecutor's voice is changed into that of an enquiring disciple. He asks, "What will You have me to do?" If angels sang with delight over a new-made world, their song must have been seven times as joyous over a new-made Apostle! The change was miraculous.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
BEHOLD an amazing sight! Saul of Tarsus at the feet of Jesus of Nazareth! Listen! The persecutor's voice is changed into that of an enquiring disciple. He asks, "What will You have me to do?" If angels sang with delight over a new-made world, their song must have been seven times as joyous over a new-made Apostle! The change was miraculous. At this distance of time we can hardly appreciate it, but if we had been living in daily fear of our lives—if we had seen our father or our brother dragged off to death by this ferocious enemy of the Cross—and then had suddenly heard that he was converted to the faith which he opposed, we would have cried, "Incredible!" For the Ethiopian to change his skin, or for the leopard to lose his spots would be little compared with this cruel Pharisee bowing himself in lowly penitence before the Lord Jesus whom He had persecuted! Do you wonder that when Saul came to Jerusalem and assayed to join himself to the disciples, they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple? My Brothers and Sisters, as in history, so in the Grace of God, it is the unexpected which frequently occurs! The men and women whom I expected to confess Christ long ago have not yet come. I have seen Felix tremble, but I have not seen him converted. I have seen Agrippa almost persuaded, but he is not yet a Christian. Meanwhile, I have beheld a Saul of Tarsus, who, before, raged against the Cross, bowing himself submissively before the Lord Jesus! Let us never be discouraged, but let us expect to see signs and wonders in the world of Divine Grace! Though priestcraft is far too dominant in our land, we may yet hear that "a great company of the priests" has believed in Christ.
Delivering thee from the people - From the Jews - and from the Gentiles, put here in opposition to the Jews; and both meaning mankind at large, wheresoever the providence of God might send him. But he was to be delivered from the malice of the Jews, that he might be sent with salvation to the Gentiles.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐξαιρούμενός | exairoumenos | delivering | G1807 → | 8 times |
| σε | se | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαοῦ | laou | people | G2992 → | 141 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐθνῶν, | ethnon | Gentiles, | G1484 → | 161 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| οὓς | hous | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ἀποστέλλω | apostello | am sending | G649 → | 132 times |
| σε | se | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ἐξαιρούμενόςdelivering
exairoumenosG1807 →8 times
σεyou
seG4771 →2973 times
ἐκout from
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
λαοῦpeople
laouG2992 →141 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἐθνῶν,Gentiles,
ethnonG1484 →161 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
οὓςwhom
housG3739 →1405 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
ἀποστέλλωam sending
apostelloG649 →132 times
σεyou
seG4771 →2973 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
Jeremiah 1:19They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
it leads to
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Jeremiah 1:8
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
- Jeremiah 20:11
But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly put to shame, with an everlasting…
- Psalms 129:2
many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me.
- Jeremiah 29:25–32
this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “In your own name you have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah,…
- Joshua 1:9
Through
Acts 9:15“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.
it leads to
- Ephesians 3:7–8
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Galatians 1:15–16
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
- Ephesians 3:7–8
Through
1 Timothy 2:7For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.
it leads to
- Acts 9:15
“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 9:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this chapter
About Acts
This page draws on 9 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, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1774: “God's Work Upon Minister and Convert” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 1; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 52; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament.