Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Parallel translations
- WEB Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
- BSB Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
- NKJV Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
- NASB Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you repudiate it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
- NLT Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul and Barnabas boldly declare that since the Jews reject the word and judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, they now turn to the Gentiles. Rejection by some opens the gospel to the nations.
Overview
The apostles affirm the principle of to the Jew first, having faithfully offered the word to them. Yet those who thrust it away effectively pronounce themselves unworthy of eternal life, a sobering result of unbelief. The turn to the Gentiles fulfills God's wider purpose to bring salvation to all peoples through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 32
- Acts 28:28Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
- Matt 21:43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
- Acts 26:20But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
- Acts 18:5–6And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
- Rom 2:10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
- Acts 3:26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
- Rom 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
- Rom 11:11–13I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
- Acts 22:21And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
- Acts 13:26Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
- John 1:11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
- Rom 10:19–21But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
- Acts 4:29–31And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
- Isa 55:5Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
- Luke 24:47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- Acts 7:51Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
- Luke 14:16–24Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
- Eph 6:19–20And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Isa 49:5–8And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
- Rom 9:4–5Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
- Exod 32:9–10And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
- Phil 1:14And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
- Deut 32:21They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
- Acts 4:13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
- Matt 22:6–10And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
- Matt 10:6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
- Acts 13:14But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
- Prov 28:1The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
- John 4:22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
- Matt 10:13–15And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
- Acts 13:5And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
- Heb 11:34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
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Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
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