Acts 13:17

Acts 13:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
• New International Version (NIV)The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;
• English Standard Version (ESV)The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it.

Context of Acts 13:17

15After the reading of the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers (kinsmen), if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” 16So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, he said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen! The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great and numerous during their stay [as foreigners] in the land of Egypt, and then with an uplifted arm He led them out of there. 18For a period of about forty years He put up with their behavior in the wilderness. 19When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land [to our ancestors] as an inheritance—this took about four hundred and fifty years.

Acts 13:17 word by word

ὁ θεὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου Ἰσραὴλ ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν λαὸν ὕψωσεν ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου καὶ μετὰ βραχίονος ὑψηλοῦ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• of thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• of IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
• choseἐκλέγωeklegomai · to selectG1586
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• exaltedὑψόωhupsoō · to lift upG5312
• whenἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• they dwelt as strangersπαροικίαparoikia · sojourningG3940
• the landγῆgē · earth: countryG1093
• of EgyptΑἴγυπτοςAiguptos · EgyptG125
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• an highὑψηλόςhupsēlos · highG5308
• armβραχίωνbrachiōn · armG1023
• brought heἐξάγωexagō · to lead outG1806
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• outἐκek ex · out fromG1537

Cross-references for Acts 13:17

• Acts 7:2And he answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory [the Shekinah, the radiance of God] appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
• Genesis 12:1Now [in Haran] the Lord had said to Abram, “Go away from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you;
• Genesis 17:7I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.
• Deuteronomy 4:37And because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants who followed them, and brought you from Egypt with His Presence, with His great and awesome power,
• Deuteronomy 7:6For you are a holy people [set apart] to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be a people for His own possession [that is, His very special treasure].
• Deuteronomy 9:5It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out before you, and to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Deuteronomy 14:2for you are a holy people [set apart] to the Lord your God; and the Lord has chosen you out of all the peoples who are on the earth to be a people for His own possession.
• Nehemiah 9:7You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, And gave him the name Abraham.
• Psalms 105:6O you offspring of Abraham, His servant, O you sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
• Psalms 135:4For the Lord has chosen [the descendants of] Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own special treasure and possession.
• Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The offspring of Abraham My friend,
• Isaiah 44:1“But now listen, O Jacob, My servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen:
• Jeremiah 33:24“Have you not noticed what this people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families [Israel the northern kingdom, and Judah the southern kingdom] which the Lord chose, He has rejected’? Thus they despise My [chosen] people, no longer are they [considered] as a nation in their sight.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
• Acts 7:17“But as the time [for the fulfillment] of the promise which God had made to Abraham was approaching, the [Hebrew] people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
• Exodus 1:7but the Israelites were prolific and increased greatly; they multiplied and became extremely strong, so that the land was filled with them.

Commentaries on Acts 13:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The God of - our fathers - The apostle begins his discourse with the Egyptian bondage, and their deliverance from it, as points the most remarkable and striking in their history; in which the providence and mighty power of God, exerted so frequently in their behalf, were peculiarly conspicuous. Exalted the people - Even when they were strangers in the land, and greatly oppressed, God exalted them; made them a terror to their enemies, and multiplied them…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17The God of this people - Who has manifested himself as the special friend and protector of this nation. This implied a belief that he had been particularly their God; a favorite doctrine of the Jews, and one that would conciliate their favor toward Paul. Of Israel - The Jews. Chose our fathers - Selected the nation to be a chosen and special people to himself, Deuteronomy 7:6-7. And exalted the people - Raised them up from a low and depressed state of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-31Verses 14-31 When we come together to worship God, we must do it, not only by prayer and praise, but by the reading and hearing of the word of God. The bare reading of the Scriptures in public assemblies is not enough; they should be expounded, and the people exhorted out of them. This is helping people in doing that which is necessary to make the word profitable, to apply it to themselves. Every thing is touched upon in this sermon, which might best…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-22To establish common ground with his audience, Paul traced Jewish history starting from the Israelite exodus from Egypt. He emphasized: the Israelites' escape from Egyptian slavery, their settlement in Canaan, the establishment of the kingdom of Israel, the removal of King Saul, and the special role of King David.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1715-17. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand--as was his manner on such occasions (Ac 21:40; and see Ac 26:1). Men of Israel, and ye that fear God--by the latter expression meaning religious proselytes, who united with the Jews in all acts of ordinary worship. and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in Egypt--by marvellous interpositions for them in their deepest depression.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 13:17

• Antioch
• Arm
• Law
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Preaching
• Synagogue
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• God
• Israel
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Arm
• Light
• Lo

Commentaries on Acts 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings