Acts 13:20

Acts 13:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
• New International Version (NIV)All this took about 450 years. “After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
• English Standard Version (ESV)All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

Context of Acts 13:20

18The people of Israel did not obey God. But God took care of them in the wilderness for 40 years. 19He destroyed seven nations of people who lived in the land of Canaan. God gave their land to his own people so that they could live there. All of these things happened during about 450 years. After this, God gave to his people leaders who were called judges. They ruled Israel until the time when God's prophet Samuel was alive. 21Then the people of Israel asked Samuel to choose a king for them. So God gave Saul to them as their king. Saul was the son of Kish and he was from the tribe of Benjamin. He ruled Israel for 40 years. 22Then God removed Saul as king. He caused David to be their king instead. God said this about David: “I have watched David, the son of Jesse. He does things that make me happy. I know that he will do everything that I want.”

Acts 13:20 word by word

ὡς ἔτεσιν τετρακοσίοις καὶ πεντήκοντα· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔδωκεν κριτὰς ἕως Σαμουὴλ τοῦ προφήτου·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• afterμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• he gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• judgesκριτήςkritēs · judgeG2923
• about the space ofὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• four hundredτετρακόσιοιtetrakosioi tetrakosia · four hundredG5071
• fiftyπεντήκονταpentēkonta · fiftyG4004
• yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094
• untilἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• SamuelΣαμουήλSamouēl · SamuelG4545
• the prophetὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396

Cross-references for Acts 13:20

• Judges 2:16After that, the Lord chose judges to lead his people. These leaders rescued the Israelites from their enemies who were robbing them.
• Judges 3:10The Lord's Spirit gave Othniel power to lead Israel. Othniel led them to fight against King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram. The Lord helped Othniel to win the battle against the king.
• Ruth 1:1There was a time when judges ruled Israel. During that time there was a famine in Judah. A man who lived in Bethlehem, in Judah, had a wife and two sons. His name was Elimelech. Elimelech's wife was called Naomi, and his sons were called Mahlon and Kilion. They were from Ephrathah's clan. Because there was not enough food in Judah, Elimelech and his family left Bethlehem. They went to live as strangers in Moab.
• 1 Samuel 12:11So the Lord sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel to help you. The Lord saved you from all your enemies so that you could live safely.
• 2 Samuel 7:11from the time that I chose leaders to rule my people Israel. But now I will keep you safe from all your enemies. I, the Lord, say to you, David: I will give you descendants who will rule as kings after you. That will be the royal house that I build for you!
• 2 Kings 23:22Since the time when the judges ruled Israel, the Israelites had not had a Passover festival like that. They had never had it during the time when kings ruled Judah and Israel.
• 1 Chronicles 17:6I have moved about to many different places with the Israelites. I chose leaders to take care of my people, like shepherds take care of their sheep. But I never said to any of them, ‘You should have built a beautiful house of cedar wood for me.’ ”
• 1 Samuel 3:20In all Israel, from the north to the south, everyone realized that Samuel was truly the Lord's prophet.

Commentaries on Acts 13:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years - This is a most difficult passage, and has been termed by Scaliger, Crux Chronologorum. The apostle seems here to contradict the account in 1 Kings 6:1; : And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign, he began to build the house of the Lord. Sir Norton…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20He gave unto them judges - Men who were raised up in an extraordinary manner to administer the affairs of the nation, to defend it from enemies, etc. See Judges 2:16. About the space of four hundred and fifty years - This is a most difficult passage, and has exercised all the ingenuity of chronologists. The ancient versions agree with the present Greek text. The difficulty has been to reconcile it with what is said in 1 Kings 6:1, “And it came to pass in…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. 18-2218-22. forty years suffered he their manners--rather, according to what appears the true reading, "cherished he them" (as a nurse the infant in her bosom).Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 13:20

• Antioch
• Israel
• Judge
• Law
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Preaching
• Synagogue
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Samuel
• Four Hundred
• Light
• Lo
• Ordain
• Prophet
• Season
• Stock
• Acts of the Apostles
• Doctrine

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