God’s Word Translation
Acts 26:20
20Instead, I spread the message that I first told to the ⌞Jewish⌟ people in Damascus and Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea. I spread the same message to non-Jewish people. Both groups were expected to change the way they thought and acted and to turn to God. I told them to do things that prove they had changed their lives.
Acts 26:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
- New International Version (NIV)First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
- New King James Version (NKJV)but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
Context of Acts 26:20
18You will open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan’s control to God’s. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God’s people who are made holy by believing in me.’ 19“At that point I did not disobey the vision I saw from heaven, King Agrippa. Instead, I spread the message that I first told to the ⌞Jewish⌟ people in Damascus and Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea. I spread the same message to non-Jewish people. Both groups were expected to change the way they thought and acted and to turn to God. I told them to do things that prove they had changed their lives. 21For this reason the Jews took me prisoner in the temple courtyard and tried to murder me. 22“God has been helping me to this day so that I can stand and testify to important and unimportant people. I tell them only what the prophets and Moses said would happen.
Read all of Acts 26Acts 26:20 word by word
ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐν Δαμασκῷ πρῶτόν τε καὶ Ἱεροσολύμοις, πᾶσάν τε τὴν χώραν τῆς Ἰουδαίας, καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπήγγελλον μετανοεῖν καὶ ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα πράσσοντας.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butἀλλάalla · butG235
- shewedἀπαγγέλλωapaggellō · to announceG518
- firstπρῶτονprōton · firstG4412
- unto themὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- ofἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- DamascusΔαμασκόςDamaskos · DamascusG1154
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- at JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
- andτεte · and/bothG5037
- throughoutεἰςeis · towardG1519
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- the coastsχώραchōra · countryG5561
- of JudeaἸουδαίαIoudaia · JudeaG2449
- to the Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
- that they should repentμετανοέωmetanoeō · to repentG3340
- turnἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
- toἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- and doπράσσωprassō · to do/requireG4238
- worksἔργονergon · workG2041
- meetἄξιοςaxios · worthyG514
- for repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341
Cross-references for Acts 26:20
- Acts 9:19After he had something to eat, his strength came back to him. Saul was with the disciples in the city of Damascus for several days.
- Acts 11:26After finding Saul, Barnabas brought him back to Antioch. Barnabas and Saul met with the church in Antioch for a whole year and taught a large group of people. The disciples were called Christians for the first time in the city of Antioch.
- Acts 9:28Then Saul went throughout Jerusalem with the disciples. He spoke boldly with the power and authority of the Lord.
- Acts 22:17“After that, I returned to Jerusalem. While I was praying in the temple courtyard, I fell into a trance
- Acts 26:17I will rescue you from the Jewish people and from the non-Jewish people to whom I am sending you.
- Acts 13:46Paul and Barnabas told them boldly, “We had to speak God’s word to you first. Since you reject the word and consider yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, we are now going to turn to people of other nations.
- Acts 14:16In the past God allowed all people to live as they pleased.
- Acts 22:21“But the Lord told me, ‘Go! I’ll send you on a mission. You’ll go far away to people who aren’t Jewish.’ ”
- Romans 11:18So don’t brag about being better than the other branches. If you brag, remember that you don’t support the root, the root supports you.
- Acts 2:38Peter answered them, “All of you must turn to God and change the way you think and act, and each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.
- Acts 3:19So change the way you think and act, and turn ⌞to God⌟ to have your sins removed.
- Acts 11:18When the others heard this, they had no further objections. They praised God by saying, “Then God has also led people who are not Jewish to turn to him so that they can change the way they think and act and have eternal life.”
- Acts 17:30“God overlooked the times when people didn’t know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act.
- Acts 20:21I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Jesus.
- Jeremiah 31:19After I was turned around, I changed the way I thought and acted. After I was taught a lesson, I hung my head in shame. I was so ashamed and humiliated, because of all the stupid things I have done ever since I was young.’
- Ezekiel 18:30“That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel,” declares the Almighty Lord. “Change the way you think and act. Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.
Commentaries on Acts 26:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20But showed first unto them of Damascus - He appears to have preached at Damascus, and in the neighboring parts of Arabia Deserta, for about three years; and afterwards he went up to Jerusalem. See Galatians 1:17, Galatians 1:18; and see the note on Acts 9:23. That they should repent - Be deeply humbled for their past iniquities, and turn to God as their Judge and Savior, avoiding all idolatry and all sin; and thus do works meet for repentance; that is…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20See Acts 9:20-23. The 20th verse contains a summary of his labors in obedience to the command of the Lord Jesus. His argument is that the Lord Jesus had from heaven commanded him to do this, and that he had done no more than to obey his injunction. The word “then” in this verse is supplied by our translators, and is not necessary to the proper explanation of the passage. It would seem from that word that he had not preached “to the Gentiles” until after…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-23Verses 12-23 Paul was made a Christian by Divine power; by a revelation of Christ both to him and in him; when in the full career of his sin. He was made a minister by Divine authority: the same Jesus who appeared to him in that glorious light, ordered him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. A world that sits in darkness must be enlightened; those must be brought to know the things that belong to their everlasting peace, who are yet ignorant of them. A…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23In his careful defense before King Agrippa, Paul argued that his message agreed fully with the Jewish faith. He began by respectfully recognizing Agrippa’s knowledge of Jewish matters (26:2–3). He then described his early life, his training in Judaism, and his membership in the Pharisees (a Jewish group known for strict obedience to the law; 26:4–5). Paul explained that the charges against him were only because he believed that God had fulfilled the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2119-21. Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision--This musical and elevated strain, which carries the reader along with it, and doubtless did the hearers, bespeaks the lofty region of thought and feeling to which the apostle had risen while rehearsing his Master's communications to him from heaven.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 26:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 26
- 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
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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