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47 For this[a] is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed[b] you to be a light[c] for the Gentiles, to bring salvation[d] to the ends of the earth.’”[e] 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice[f] and praise[g] the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal life[h] believed. 49 So the word of the Lord was spreading[i] through the entire region.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:47 tn Here οὕτως (houtōs) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by BDAG 742 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως 2.
  2. Acts 13:47 tn BDAG 1004 s.v. τίθημι 3.a has “τιθέναι τινὰ εἴς τι place/appoint someone to or for (to function as) someth….Ac 13:47.” This is a double accusative construction of object (“you”) and complement (“a light”).
  3. Acts 13:47 sn Paul alludes here to the language of the Servant in Isaiah, pointing to Isa 42:6; 49:6. He and Barnabas do the work of the Servant in Isaiah.
  4. Acts 13:47 tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”
  5. Acts 13:47 sn An allusion to Isa 42:6 and 49:6. The expression the ends of the earth recalls Luke 3:6 and Acts 1:8. Paul sees himself and Barnabas as carrying out the commission of Luke 24:27. (See 2 Cor 6:2, where servant imagery also appears concerning Paul’s message.)
  6. Acts 13:48 tn The imperfect verb ἔχαιρον (echairon) and the following ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon) are translated as ingressive imperfects.
  7. Acts 13:48 tn Or “glorify.” Although “honor” is given by BDAG 258 s.v. δοξάζω as a translation, it would be misleading here, because the meaning is “to honor in the sense of attributing worth to something,” while in contemporary English usage one speaks of “honoring” a contract in the sense of keeping its stipulations. It is not a synonym for “obey” in this context (“obey the word of the Lord”), but that is how many English readers would understand it.
  8. Acts 13:48 sn Note the contrast to v. 46 in regard to eternal life.
  9. Acts 13:49 tn BDAG 239 s.v. διαφέρω 1 has “spread” for διαφέρετο (diaphereto) in connection with a teaching. This is the first summary since Acts 9:31.

47 For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have appointed you to be[a] a light for the Gentiles,
    that you would bring[b] salvation to the end of the earth.’[c]

48 And when[d] the Gentiles heard this,[e] they began to rejoice[f] and to glorify the word of the Lord. And all those who were designated for eternal life believed. 49 So the word of the Lord was carried through the whole region.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:47 Literally “for”
  2. Acts 13:47 Literally “that you would bring”
  3. Acts 13:47 An allusion to Isa 42:6; 49:6
  4. Acts 13:48 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  5. Acts 13:48 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  6. Acts 13:48 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to rejoice”)