Acts 13:17

The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

The God {G2316} of this {G5127} people {G2992} of Israel {G2474} chose {G1586} our {G2257} fathers {G3962}, and {G2532} exalted {G5312} the people {G2992} when {G1722} they dwelt as strangers {G3940} in {G1722} the land {G1093} of Egypt {G125}, and {G2532} with {G3326} an high {G5308} arm {G1023} brought he {G1806} them {G846} out of {G1537} it {G846}.

The God of this people Isra’el chose our fathers. He made the people great during the time when they were living as aliens in Egypt and with a stretched-out arm he led them out of that land.

The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.

The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forth out of it.

Acts 13:17 KJV is a foundational verse within Paul's significant sermon in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, where he systematically lays out God's historical dealings with Israel to introduce Jesus as the promised Messiah. This verse specifically highlights key aspects of God's faithfulness and power in the early history of the nation of Israel.

Context

Paul, invited to speak in the synagogue, begins his address by recounting God's providential care for Israel, starting from their origins. This historical overview served to establish common ground with his Jewish audience, reminding them of their rich heritage and God's consistent involvement in their story. By detailing God's past acts of choosing, exalting, and delivering His people, Paul prepared the way to demonstrate how Jesus was the culmination of this divine plan, fitting perfectly into the long narrative of Israel's salvation history.

Key Themes

  • Divine Election and Sovereignty: The phrase "God of this people of Israel chose our fathers" underscores God's sovereign initiative in selecting Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and through them, the nation of Israel, as His special people. This choice was not based on their merit but on God's gracious purpose.
  • God's Providence and Exaltation: Even when Israel faced hardship "as strangers in the land of Egypt," God did not abandon them. Instead, He "exalted the people," allowing them to grow into a numerous nation despite their subjugation. This demonstrates God's ability to work His plan even in adverse circumstances.
  • Powerful Deliverance: The statement "with an high arm brought he them out of it" refers to the miraculous and overwhelming power God displayed in the Exodus from Egypt. It signifies a display of irresistible divine might, leaving no doubt that their liberation was solely God's doing.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "with an high arm" (Greek: en bradioni hupselō) is a powerful Old Testament idiom, frequently used in the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) to describe God's mighty, outstretched arm. It signifies God's irresistible power, His direct intervention, and His ability to accomplish His will against all opposition. This imagery conveys a sense of divine strength and authority, emphasizing that the Exodus was a supernatural act of God's immense power, as also seen in Deuteronomy 5:15.

Related Scriptures

This verse echoes the foundational narratives of the Old Testament. God's initial choice of "our fathers" harks back to His covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12. The subsequent sojourn in Egypt and their growth there is recounted in books like Genesis and Exodus. The miraculous deliverance, central to Israel's identity, is the core narrative of the book of Exodus. Paul's use of this history highlights God's consistent character and sets the stage for the ultimate deliverance through Christ.

Practical Application

Acts 13:17 reminds us that God is faithful to His promises across generations. Just as He acted powerfully in the past for His people, He continues to be a God of election, providence, and deliverance today. This verse encourages believers to trust in God's unchanging character and His sovereign plan, knowing that He is able to bring about His purposes, even through difficult circumstances, and to deliver His people with a "high arm." It underscores that our salvation is rooted in God's initiative and power, not our own merits.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Deuteronomy 7:6

    For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that [are] upon the face of the earth.

  • Deuteronomy 7:8

    But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

  • Acts 7:2

    And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

  • Acts 7:53

    Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept [it].

  • Psalms 105:23

    Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

  • Psalms 105:24

    And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

  • Isaiah 63:9

    In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

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