Acts 13:47 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

NIV: For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ''I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.''

NASB: For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I HAVE APPOINTED YOU AS A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’?'

CSB: For this is what the Lord has commanded us:I have made youa light for the Gentilesto bring salvationto the ends of the earth."

NLT: For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’ '

KJV: For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

NKJV: For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Paul is addressing a crowd of Jews and Gentiles who accept his message about Jesus and a group of Jewish leaders who do not. Here, he quotes the end of Isaiah 49:6. Many times, when a New Testament speaker quotes a portion of the Old Testament, they mean to bring to mind the rest of the passage. In Isaiah 49:1–2, God chooses His Savior, one with a "mouth like a sharp sword" (Isaiah 49:2; Revelation 19:15). In Isaiah 49:3–5, Israel refuses to return to God, so God tells His messenger, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel" (Isaiah 49:6). God wants more than just the Jews; He wants the world.

Paul applies Isaiah 49:6 to the entire nation of Israel. God made a covenant that Abraham's descendants would bless the world (Genesis 12:3). They did so by providing the Messiah to the world, but they should have also introduced the Messiah to the world. God knew that wouldn't happen. Much of Paul's ministry involves telling the Jews about Jesus and building churches with the eavesdropping Gentiles who accept his message.

Simeon also quoted part of Isaiah 49:6 when he met the baby Jesus at the temple, but he added part of Isaiah 46:13, calling Jesus, "…a light for the revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel" (Luke 2:32). Paul's heartfelt wish, that Israel would accept its Messiah (Romans 9:1–5) will come true during the millennial kingdom. First, however, the Gentiles are invited in (Romans 11:25–27).

Acts 13:42–52 details the response to Paul's message in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch. Many Gentiles and some Jews accept the news about Jesus gladly, but the synagogue leaders don't. Since Jews live in community, and the Jewish community leaders feel threatened by Paul's message and popularity, Paul can say "the Jews" reject Jesus' offer of eternal life. Paul turns his attention to the Gentiles until the Jewish leaders join with city leaders to drive Paul and Barnabas out of town.

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.