The Meaning of Acts 13:20 Explained

Acts 13:20

KJV: And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

YLT: And after these things, about four hundred and fifty years, He gave judges -- till Samuel the prophet;

Darby: And after these things he gave them judges till Samuel the prophet, to the end of about four hundred and fifty years.

ASV: and after these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.

Discover Acts 13:20

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Acts 13:20?

MEANING: What does Acts 13:20 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Acts 13:20 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Acts 13:20?

What is the context of Acts 13:20?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And after that he gave [unto them] judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

What does Acts 13:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 13:13-24 - The Savior According To Promise

It was very natural that the missionary party should sail for Cyprus, partly because it was the first and nearest outpost of the great heathen world that lay to the west, and partly because Barnabas was a native of the island and had owned land there, which he had sold for the benefit of his poorer brethren in the church, Acts 4:36.

In visiting a new city, it was the custom of the Apostles to go first to the Jewish synagogue, where such was to be found. "To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile," was the divine order, Romans 2:10. The journey from Cyprus to the mainland was easily made; but the journey up to this inland city of Antioch was very perilous, 2 Corinthians 11:26.

Acts 13:16 gives us the Apostle's favorite attitude, Acts 21:40; Acts 26:1. Ye that fear God, referred to the Gentile proselytes. This first address contained the seed-thoughts of the Apostle's ministry. He loved to show that the gospel was the white flower that grew on the ancient stock of Judaism. Whatever his starting point, he was sure to come, by a direct path, to Jesus Christ. Observe throughout how Paul attributes all of the great events and movements of history to the direction and agency of God. God chose the fathers; God gave Saul; God brought unto Israel a Savior. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 13

¹ Paul and Barnabas are chosen to go to the Gentiles
⁶ Of Sergius Paulus, and Elymas the sorcerer
¹³ Paul preaches at Antioch that Jesus is Christ
⁴² The Gentiles believe;
⁴⁴ but the Jews talked abusively against Paul,
⁴⁶ whereupon they turn to the Gentiles, of whom many believe
⁵⁰ The Jews raise a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, who go to Iconium

Greek Commentary for Acts 13:20

And after these things [και μετα ταυτα]
That is, the time of the Judges then began. Cf. Jud Judges 2:16. [source]

Until Samuel the prophet [εως Σαμουηλ προπητου]
The terminus ad quem. He was the last of the judges and the first of the prophets who selected the first king (Saul) under God‘s guidance. Note the absence of the Greek article with προπητου prophētou f0). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 13:20 mean?

during years four hundred and fifty after these things He gave [them] judges until Samuel the prophet

ὡς ἔτεσιν τετρακοσίοις καὶ πεντήκοντα μετὰ ταῦτα ἔδωκεν κριτὰς ἕως Σαμουὴλ ‹τοῦ› προφήτου

ὡς	during
Parse: Adverb Root: ὡς Sense: as, like, even as, etc.
ἔτεσιν	years
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Plural Root: ἔτος Sense: year.
τετρακοσίοις	four hundred
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Plural Root: τετρακόσιοι Sense: four hundred.
πεντήκοντα	fifty
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Plural Root: πεντήκοντα Sense: fifty.
μετὰ	after
Parse: Preposition Root: μετά Sense: with, after, behind.
ταῦτα	these things
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural Root: οὗτος Sense: this.
ἔδωκεν	He gave [them]
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: διδῶ Sense: to give.
κριτὰς	judges
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: κριτής Sense: one who passes or arrogates to himself, judgment on anything.
ἕως	until
Parse: Preposition Root: ἕως Sense: till, until.
Σαμουὴλ	Samuel
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: Σαμουήλ Sense: the son of Elkanah and Hannah, the last of the judges, a distinguished prophet, and a founder of the prophetic order, he gave the Jews there first kings, Saul, David.
προφήτου	prophet
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: προφήτης Sense: in Greek writings, an interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 13:20?

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Similar Scriptures for Acts 13:20

		Judges 2:16 [5]
		1 Samuel 3:20 [4]
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		1 Chronicles 17:6 [2]
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