Acts 13:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.

NIV: and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

NASB: and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.

CSB: and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.

NLT: And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel.

KJV: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

NKJV: He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.

The Jewish Scriptures bear witness to God's saving work for the nation of Israel throughout their history. Paul has already given a very short synopsis (Acts 13:16–22). David and John the Baptist bore witness that God would send a Savior to Israel and the world (Acts 13:23–25). Now, Paul explains that he and Barnabas have come to share the witness of those who have met this Savior.

There's no record that, after His resurrection, Jesus made a point of revealing Himself to the Jewish leaders who had Him killed. Instead, He met with those who would tell others who He is and what He came to do. He met first with Mary Magdalene (John 20:11–18) and two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). Mary and the two disciples bore witness to others. Then Jesus met with Peter (Luke 24:34), the Twelve (John 20:19–29) and apparently a crowd of over five hundred (1 Corinthians 15:6).

The point of Jesus' appearances was that His followers would bear witness to His resurrection (Mark 13:9), a point He stressed right before He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:8). When people believe their testimony, they are to train the converts to follow Jesus (Matthew 28:16–20). Barnabas trusted Jesus because of the witness of the apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 4:36–37). Paul asks the people of the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch to trust his own witness. Some will, but many won't.

Acts 13:16–41 gives the transcript of Paul's message in Pisidian Antioch. It is the only recording of Paul's many synagogue sermons. Paul's message can be broken into five parts, each identified with a call to heed Paul's words: 1. God's saving work in Israel's history and promise of a future Savior (Acts 13:16–25); 2. The Savior's story (Acts 13:26–31); 3. The prophecies of the Savior (Acts 13:32–37); 4. The nature of ''salvation'' (Acts 13:38–39); 5. A warning to accept the Savior (Acts 13:40–41). Some Jews and many Gentiles do accept the message, but the synagogue leaders drive Paul and Barnabas out of town (Acts 13:42–51).

Acts 13 transitions Luke's account (Acts 1:1) fully into a record of Paul's ministry to spread the news about Jesus. The Holy Spirit calls Paul and Barnabas for their first missionary journey. They teach about Jesus' offer of forgiveness of sins on the island of Cyprus and in the district of Pisidia in modern-day south-central Asia Minor. Along the way, they face opposition, desertion, and persecution: themes that will follow Paul throughout his life. But they also experience the joy of watching the people they'd least expect come to a saving faith in Jesus.

The first chapters of Acts, save for a quick account of Paul's conversion (Acts 9:1–31), cover the ministry of the apostles, particularly Peter. Those passages also detail the spread of the news about Jesus from His followers. That message goes to the Jews of Jerusalem (Acts 2—7) and Judea (Acts 8:26–40; 9:32–43), the Samaritans (Acts 8:4–25), and God-fearing Gentiles (Acts 10—11). Now, Paul's contribution to the ''end of the earth'' portion of Jesus' commission in Acts 1:8 begins, as he and Barnabas start their first missionary journey. Luke will record two more of Paul's journeys (Acts 15:36—18:22 and 18:23—20:38) before settling in on his return to Jerusalem, arrest, and sea voyage to Rome (Acts 21—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.