Acts 13:41

41 See, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish, because a work I -- I do work in your days, a work in which ye may not believe, though any one may declare [it] to you.'

Acts 13:41 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 13:41

Behold, ye despisers
In ( Habakkuk 1:5 ) from whence these words are taken: we render it with others, "behold ye among the Heathen"; as if the word (Mywgb) , was compounded of (b) "in", and (Mywg) , "nations" or "Heathens"; and so reads the Chaldee paraphrase, "look among the people"; but the Septuagint version renders it, "behold, ye despisers"; which the apostle is thought to follow; wherefore some have imagined a different reading, and that the Septuagint, instead of (Mywgb) reads (Mydgwb) , the singular of which is used in ( Habakkuk 2:5 ) and there rendered a "despiser" in the same version: but it should be observed, that the Septuagint is not the only version that so renders the word; for the Syriac version renders it, "behold, ye impudent"; and the Arabic version, "behold, ye negligent"; and Dr. Pocock ^F18 has shown that this word comes from the root (agb) which though not to be found in the Bible, yet in the Arabic language, among other things, signifies to behave proudly, or insolently, and so is very properly rendered "despisers", without supposing any different reading or corruption in the text: and as in Habakkuk the proud and haughty Jews are there spoke to, who neglected and despised the law; this is accommodated by the apostle to the Jews in his time, who were very much disposed to despise the Gospel, as they generally did. It follows, "and wonder, and perish"; or disappear, or change countenance, through shame for their sins, and amazement at the judgments of God upon them:

for I work a work in your days, which you shall in no wise believe
though a man declare it unto you;
which, in Habakkuk, refers to the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans; and here it is suggested, by the citation and application of it, that in a short time a like work would be done in their days; the city and temple of Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Romans, which when told to the Jews in foreign parts, as here in Pisidia, would not be believed by them, though it should be told them by men of probity and credit.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Not. Misc. in Porta Mosis, c. 3. p. 31, 32. &c.

Acts 13:41 In-Context

39 and from all things from which ye were not able in the law of Moses to be declared righteous, in this one every one who is believing is declared righteous;

40 see, therefore, it may not come upon you that hath been spoken in the prophets:

41 See, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish, because a work I -- I do work in your days, a work in which ye may not believe, though any one may declare [it] to you.'

42 And having gone forth out of the synagogue of the Jews, the nations were calling upon [them] that on the next sabbath these sayings may be spoken to them,

43 and the synagogue having been dismissed, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes did follow Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were persuading them to remain in the grace of God.