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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Acts 13:42 - 13:43
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_13:42-43
42As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.
Act_13:42 This shows the power of the Spirit (1) using Paul's sermon and (2) the hunger for forgiveness and restoration with God within the hearts of humans made in God's image.
Act_13:43
NASB "God-fearing proselytes"
NKJV "devout proselytes"
NRSV "devout converts to Judaism"
TEV "Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism"
NJB "devout converts"
This phrase is literally "worshiping proselytes." This is a different group from the "ones fearing God" of Act_13:16; Act_13:26 (cf. Act_10:2; Act_10:22; Act_10:35).
Act_13:43 refers to those Gentiles who had officially become Jews. This required
1. self baptism in the presence of witnesses
2. circumcision for males
3. offering a sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem when possible
There are a few references to Jewish proselytes in the NT (cf. Matthew 23; Matthew 15; Act_2:11; Act_6:5; Act_13:43).
▣ "urging them to continue in the grace of God" From the context it is difficult to define this phrase.
1. some of these hearers may have already responded to the gospel in their hearts
2. those who were faithful to what they understood of the grace of God in the OT are urged to continue to seek God and listen to Paul again (cf. Act_13:44)