Acts 13:46
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.
Study Note
Study Note
Paul and Barnabas's declaration in Pisidian Antioch — 'It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles' — marks a programmatic turning point in Acts' geographical and ethnic expansion of the gospel. The necessity ('it was necessary') reflects the salvation-historical conviction that the Jews have hermeneutical priority (Romans 1:16; 2:9-10) while the response of rejection creates the occasion for the Gentile mission. This pattern — Jewish rejection, Gentile reception, further Jewish opportunity — repeats in Acts 18:6 and 28:28, structuring the entire narrative of Paul's mission. Romans 11 provides the theological rationale: Jewish stumbling is the occasion of Gentile salvation, not its permanent replacement.
Other Translations
And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
And speaking boldly, Paul and Barnabas said, `To you it was necessary that first the word of God be spoken, and seeing ye do thrust it away, and do not judge yourselves worthy of the life age-during, lo, we do turn to the nations;
Then Paul and Barnabas without fear said, It was necessary for the word of God to be given to you first; but because you will have nothing to do with it, and have no desire for eternal life, it will now be offered to the Gentiles.
Cross References
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and …
And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their …
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee …
Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I …
And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to …
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: