Acts 13:41

Acts 13:41

Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work at work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

a. NLT: ‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day,

something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it

b. NIV: “ ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.

c. YLT: 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.'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Look, you scoffers and scorners, and marvel and perish and vanish away; for I am doing a deed in your days, a deed which you will never have confidence in or believe, [even] if someone [clearly describing it in detail] declares it to you.

 

e. Worrell Translation: Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; because I do a work in your days—a work which ye will by no means believe, though one should fully declare it to you.

f. Wuest Translation: Behold, you despisers, and you who wonder and perish, because as for myself, I am accomplishing a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe if anyone keep on narrating it in full to you.

1. “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish…”

a. Behold [Strong: 1492 eido i'-do a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

b. [ye] despisers [Strong: 2707 kataphrontes kat-af-ron-tace' from 2706; a contemner:--despiser.]

c. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

d. wonder [Strong: 2296 thaumazo thou-mad'-zo from 2295; to wonder; by implication, to admire:--admire, have in admiration, marvel, wonder.]

e. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

f. perish [Strong: 853 aphanizo af-an-id'-zo from 852; to render unapparent, i.e. (actively) consume (becloud), or (passively) disappear (be destroyed):-- corrupt, disfigure, perish, vanish away.]

2. “…for I work at work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.”

a. for [Strong: 3754 hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

b. I [Strong: 1473 ego eg-o' a primary pronoun of the first person I (only expressed when emphatic):--I, me.]

c. work [Strong: 2038 ergazomai er-gad'-zom-ahee middle voice from 2041; to toil (as a task, occupation, etc.), (by implication) effect, be engaged in or with, etc.:--commit, do, labor for, minister about, trade (by), work.]

d. in [1722  en, en; a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

e. your [Strong: 5216 humon hoo-mone' genitive case of 5210; of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves). ]

f. days [Strong: 2250 hemera hay-mer'-ah feminine (with 5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit; akin to the base of 1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context):--age, + alway, (mid-)day (by day, (-ly)), + for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.]

g. a work [Strong: 2041 ergon er'-gon from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act:--deed, doing, labour, work.]

h. which [Strong: 3739 hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

i. ye shall…believe [Strong: 4100 pisteuo pist-yoo'-o from 4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ):--believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.]

j. in no wise [Strong: 3364 ou me oo may i.e. 3756 and 3361; a double negative strengthening the denial; not at all:--any more, at all, by any (no) means, neither, never, no (at all), in no case (wise), nor ever, not (at all, in any wise).]

k. though [Strong: 1437 ean eh-an' from 1487 and 302; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty:--before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-)soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, (who-)so(-ever).]

l. a man [Strong: 5100 tis tis an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever).]

m. declare it [Strong: 1555 ekdiegeomai ek-dee-ayg-eh'-om-ahee from 1537 and a compound of 1223 and 2233; to narrate through wholly:--declare.]

n. unto you [Strong: 5213 humin hoo-min' irregular dative case of 5210; to (with or by) you:--ye, you, your(-selves).]

1). This is a quote from Habakkuk 1:5 but looking at the two versions, it is clear paul is quoting from the Septuagint.

a). Habakkuk 1:5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

b). Habakkuk 1:5 [Septuagint] “Behold, ye dispisers, and look, and wonder marvelously, and vanish: for I work a work in your days, which ye will in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you.”

2). COMMENTARY on the NEW TESTAMENT Use of the OLD TESTAMENT, G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, Editors, p587. “The citation is from Habakkuk 1:5, which in the MT [Masoretic Text] says, “Look at the nations, and see! For a work is being done in your days—you will not believe it when you are told.” The LXX is essentially the same, but a slight variation in the text has produced “you scoffers” instead of “at the nations.”

3). The Acts of the Apostles, Robert E. Tourville: “The work of Habakkuk’s day was that God allowed the Babylonians to bring judgment on them for their sins. Jew, however, did not believe God would do this, thus Habakkuk’s warning…The judgment of the Jews prophesied by Habakkuk took place in 586 B.C. with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple with deportation of the people.”

4). The Apostle Paul was warning the Jews here in Psidian Antioch not to disbelieve the work that God declares he is working, i.e., not only raising Jesus from the dead, but also granting salvation to the Gentiles. The Prophets foretold of this many times in the Scriptures.

a). Jeremiah 16:19-21 O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.

16:20 Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?

16:21 Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The Lord.

5). At the end of the book of Acts the Apostle Paul warned the Jewish leaders that the Gentiles would accept this message but warned them that the reason they did not was because of their hard hearts.

a). Acts 28:23-29 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

28:24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.

28:25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

28:26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

28:29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.