Acts 13:40

40 Watch out, therefore, lest what is stated by the prophets come upon [you]:

Acts 13:40 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 13:40

Beware therefore
Of rejecting the Gospel, and those excellent truths of it; since forgiveness of sin and a justifying righteousness are said to be had in no other way, but in and through Christ; take heed therefore,

lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the Prophets:
some think that the apostle refers to two places in the Prophets, which he puts together, and therefore uses the plural number; the one in ( Isaiah 28:14 ) from whence the character of the persons is taken, "ye despisers", or scornful men, who are addressed; and the other in ( Habakkuk 1:5 ) where is to be found what is said to them; but rather the latter place is what is only referred to, and is said to be, "in the Prophets", that is, in one of the prophets; (See Gill on John 6:45) or in the book of the Prophets, the lesser prophets, which were together in one book, among which Habakkuk stands; the Ethiopic version reads in the singular number, "lest should come upon you the word of the prophet, saying", as follows.

Acts 13:40 In-Context

38 "Therefore let it be known to you, men [and] brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all [the things] from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses,
39 by this one everyone who believes is justified!
40 Watch out, therefore, lest what is stated by the prophets come upon [you]:
41 'Look, you scoffers, and be astonished and perish! For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you would never believe [even] if someone were to tell [it] to you.'"
42 And [as] they were going out, they began urging [that] these things be spoken about to them on the next Sabbath.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
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