The Meaning of Acts 13:42 Explained

Acts 13:42

KJV: And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

YLT: And having gone forth out of the synagogue of the Jews, the nations were calling upon them that on the next sabbath these sayings may be spoken to them,

Darby: And as they went out they begged that these words might be spoken to them the ensuing sabbath.

ASV: And as they went out, they besought that these words might be spoken to them the next sabbath.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when the Jews  were gone  out of  the synagogue,  the Gentiles  besought  that these  words  might be preached  to them  the next  sabbath. 

What does Acts 13:42 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 13:38-52 - Jews Reject, Gentiles Accept, The Gospel
The doctrine of justification by faith, so closely associated with the work of Paul, is here stated for the first time. In Jesus there is forgiveness. For those who trust in Him past sins are absolutely put away, never to be named again, never to be brought up at any future judgment day. Our record is as clear as the sand which has been swept smooth by the ocean waves. We are not only forgiven, but justified. We are treated as though we had never sinned, and are justified from all things. It is a present fact. You may not feel justified or forgiven, but if you are trusting in Jesus, you are at this moment as certainly and as fully justified as have been the saints in heaven.
Pride, as well as jealousy of the Gentiles who were crowding into the fold, stirred the Jews to antagonism, but they could not eradicate the seed which had been so profusely scattered. Large numbers believed, and as they experienced salvation in Christ, they discovered that they were in line with an eternal purpose. This is the meaning of ordained in Acts 13:48. If with such slight opportunities, the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, Acts 13:52, should we not possess the same experience? [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 13:42

And as they went out [Εχιοντων δε αυτων]
Genitive absolute with present active participle of εχειμι — exeimi to go out, old verb, in the N.T. only in Acts 13:42; Acts 17:15; Acts 20:7; Acts 27:43. As they (Paul and Barnabas) were going out with all the excitement and hubbub created by the sermon. [source]
They besought [παρεκαλουν]
Imperfect active, inchoative, began to beseech. The Textus Receptus inserts wrongly τα ετνη — ta ethnē (the Gentiles) as if the Jews were opposed to Paul from the first as some doubtless were. But both Jews and Gentiles asked for the repetition of the sermon The next Sabbath (εις το μεταχυ σαββατον — eis to metaxu sabbaton). Late use (Josephus, Plutarch, etc.) of μεταχυ — metaxu (μετα — meta and χυν — xun =συν — sun) in sense of after or next instead of between (sense of μετα — meta prevailing). Note use of εις — eis for “on” or “by.” [source]
The next Sabbath [εις το μεταχυ σαββατον]
Late use (Josephus, Plutarch, etc.) of μεταχυ — metaxu Note use of εις — eis for “on” or “by.” [source]
Next [μεταξὺ]
The word commonly means intermediate, and hence is explained by some as referring to the intermediate week. But the meaning is fixed by Acts 13:44; and though the word does not occur in the New Testament elsewhere in the sense of next, it has that meaning sometimes in later Greek. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 13:42

John 4:31 In the meanwhile [εν τωι μεταχυ]
Supply καιροι — kairoi or χρονοι — chronoi See το μεταχυ Σαββατον — to metaxu Sabbaton “the next Sabbath” (Acts 13:42) and εν τωι μεταχυ — en tōi metaxu (Luke 8:1). Μεταχυ — Metaxu means between. Prayed him Imperfect active, “kept beseeching him.” For this late (Koiné) use of ερωταω — erōtaō to beseech, instead of the usual sense to question see also John 4:40, John 4:47. Their concern for the comfort of Jesus overcame their surprise about the woman. [source]
Acts 13:42 And as they went out [Εχιοντων δε αυτων]
Genitive absolute with present active participle of εχειμι — exeimi to go out, old verb, in the N.T. only in Acts 13:42; Acts 17:15; Acts 20:7; Acts 27:43. As they (Paul and Barnabas) were going out with all the excitement and hubbub created by the sermon. [source]
Acts 17:15 To Athens [εως Ατηνων]
To make sure of his safe arrival. That they should come to him with all speed (ινα ως ταχιστα ελτωσιν προς αυτον — hina hōs tachista elthōsin pros auton). Note the neat Greek idiom ως ταχιστα — hōs tachista as quickly as possible (good Attic idiom). The indirect command and purpose (ιναελτωσιν — hinȧelthōsin second aorist active subjunctive) is also neat Greek (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1046). Departed Imperfect active of εχειμι — exeimi old Greek word, but rare in N.T. All in Acts (Acts 13:42; Acts 17:15; Acts 20:7; Acts 27:43) [source]
Acts 17:15 Departed [εχηιεσαν]
Imperfect active of εχειμι — exeimi old Greek word, but rare in N.T. All in Acts (Acts 13:42; Acts 17:15; Acts 20:7; Acts 27:43) [source]
Acts 27:43 Stayed them from their purpose [εκωλευσεν αυτους του βουληματος]
And get first to land (πρωτους εις την γην εχιεναι — prōtous eis tēn gēn exienai). This classic verb εχειμι — exeimi occurs four times in Acts 13:42; Acts 17:15; Acts 20:7; Acts 27:32 and nowhere else in the N.T. It was a wise command. [source]
Acts 27:43 And get first to land [πρωτους εις την γην εχιεναι]
This classic verb εχειμι — exeimi occurs four times in Acts 13:42; Acts 17:15; Acts 20:7; Acts 27:32 and nowhere else in the N.T. It was a wise command. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 13:42 mean?

Having departed then they were begging on the next Sabbath to be spoken to them the words these
Ἐξιόντων δὲ αὐτῶν παρεκάλουν εἰς τὸ μεταξὺ σάββατον λαληθῆναι αὐτοῖς τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα

Ἐξιόντων  Having  departed 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἔξειμι1  
Sense: to go forth, go out.
παρεκάλουν  were  begging 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: παρακαλέω  
Sense: to call to one’s side, call for, summon.
μεταξὺ  next 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μεταξύ  
Sense: between.
σάββατον  Sabbath 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: σάββατον  
Sense: the seventh day of each week which was a sacred festival on which the Israelites were required to abstain from all work.
λαληθῆναι  to  be  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ῥήματα  words 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ῥῆμα  
Sense: that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word.
ταῦτα  these 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.