Acts 13:18 kjv
And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
Acts 13:18 nkjv
Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness.
Acts 13:18 niv
for about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness;
Acts 13:18 esv
And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
Acts 13:18 nlt
He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness.
Acts 13 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| God's Enduring Patience & Forbearance | ||
| Deut 9:7 | "Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt..." | Israel's repeated provocation of God. |
| Neh 9:16-19 | "But they and our fathers dealt proudly... they dealt proudly, and hearkened not... Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them..." | God's great mercies enduring despite rebellion. |
| Ps 78:38 | "But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away..." | God's compassionate forgiveness and turning away wrath. |
| Ps 106:7 | "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies..." | Israel's forgetfulness and lack of understanding. |
| Ezek 20:13 | "But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes..." | Israel's persistent rebellion. |
| Rom 2:4 | "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering...?" | God's patience aims to lead to repentance. |
| Rom 9:22 | "What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath...?" | God's long-suffering even with those deserving wrath. |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise... but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish..." | God's patience allows time for salvation. |
| God's Unwavering Provision & Care | ||
| Deut 2:7 | "For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing." | God's comprehensive and complete provision. |
| Deut 8:2-4 | "And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness... Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee..." | God's miraculous care for daily needs. |
| Neh 9:20-21 | "Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them... their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not." | God's spiritual and physical provision in the wilderness. |
| Isa 40:11 | "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." | Metaphor of God's tender, nursing care for His people. |
| Amos 2:10 | "Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness..." | God's active role in leading and sustaining. |
| Wilderness Journey & Covenant Context | ||
| Exod 16:35 | "And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years..." | Duration of manna provision. |
| Num 14:33-34 | "And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms..." | Forty years as consequence for disobedience. |
| Josh 5:6 | "For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war... were consumed..." | Wilderness as a period for a generation to pass away. |
| Ps 95:10 | "Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart..." | God's grief over the generation's rebellion. |
| Acts 7:36 | "He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt... and in the wilderness forty years." | Stephen's sermon mirroring Paul's historical summary. |
| 1 Cor 10:5-10 | "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness... Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured..." | Israel's failures as warnings for believers. |
| Heb 3:9-10 | "When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation..." | Warning against a hardened heart from Israel's example. |
Acts 13 verses
Acts 13 18 Meaning
Acts 13:18 describes God's interaction with the Israelites during their forty-year wilderness journey after the Exodus from Egypt. The King James Version states that God "suffered he their manners," which implies His great patience and forbearance despite their constant murmuring, rebellion, and idolatry. However, many significant ancient Greek manuscripts and modern Bible translations offer an alternative, equally profound understanding: that God "bore with them," "cared for them," or "nourished them," as a nurse caring for a child. This latter interpretation emphasizes God's unwavering provision, benevolent leadership, and tender sustenance for His people through a desolate period. Both interpretations point to God's consistent faithfulness and active involvement in leading His chosen people, even amidst their deepest shortcomings and the harshest conditions.
Acts 13 18 Context
Acts 13:18 is situated within Paul's first recorded comprehensive sermon in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, during his initial missionary journey (Acts 13:16-41). Paul addresses a mixed audience of Jews and God-fearing Gentiles. His sermon meticulously reviews the redemptive history of Israel, beginning with their liberation from Egypt, progressing through the period of the judges and kings, and systematically leading to God's ultimate fulfillment of His promises in Jesus Christ. This verse specifically marks a pivotal period—the forty years in the wilderness—where God demonstrates His unwavering involvement and commitment to His chosen people despite their constant disobedience and lack of faith. By recounting these historical divine acts, Paul establishes the divine pedigree of Jesus as the promised Messiah and highlights God's steadfastness throughout history, preparing his hearers for the Gospel's proclamation.
Acts 13 18 Word analysis
And about the time of: This phrase functions as a transition, succinctly establishing the specific historical timeframe within Paul's rapid historical survey. It points to a well-known period in Israelite history.
forty years: This is a biblically significant and well-documented duration (Exod 16:35, Num 14:33-34, Deut 8:2-4). It represents a full generation and signifies a period of testing, discipline, and ultimately, a purging of the disobedient generation before entering the Promised Land.
suffered he their manners (KJV): This phrase translates a key Greek term with significant textual variation, leading to two primary interpretations:
- ἐτροποφόρησεν (etropophorēsen): Supported by manuscripts like Codex Vaticanus, Sinaiticus, and Alexandrinus, this means "He bore with their disposition/behavior/character" or "He put up with their rebellious ways." It underscores God's immense patience and longsuffering (longsuffering) despite the Israelites' persistent grievances, faithlessness, and challenges to divine authority during the wilderness journey (Num 14:22, Ps 78:40-41, 106:7). This reading highlights divine endurance in the face of human obstinacy.
- ἐτροφοφόρησεν (etrophophorēsen): Preferred by modern critical texts (such as NA28, UBS5) based on readings from earlier papyri (P74) and Codex Bezae (D), this means "He bore them as a nurse carries a child," "He nourished them," or "He cared for them." This interpretation emphasizes God's tender, benevolent, and paternal provision for all their physical and spiritual needs in the desolate wilderness, similar to how a nurse or parent cares for a vulnerable infant (cf. Deut 32:11, Isa 40:11, 63:9). This reading focuses on divine sustenance and tender guidance.Both interpretations are rooted in Old Testament narratives concerning the wilderness experience and illuminate aspects of God's multifaceted character.
in the wilderness: Refers to the Sinai desert (Wilderness of Sin, Wilderness of Paran), the desolate region between Egypt and Canaan (Exod 13:18, Num 10:12). This was the geographical setting for the formative period of Israel's nationhood, marked by both divine judgment and miraculous sustenance.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "suffered he their manners in the wilderness": This phrase, at its core, communicates God's profound, steadfast involvement with His people even in challenging circumstances. It either showcases His unparalleled forbearance with a rebellious generation, allowing them to remain in His care despite their provocations, or illustrates His unwavering, nurturing provision for them, ensuring their survival and growth in an impossible environment. Both meanings ultimately magnify God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and His active superintendence over history to bring about His redemptive purposes.
Acts 13 18 Bonus section
The textual uncertainty in Acts 13:18, concerning whether the Greek verb means God bore with their manners or cared for/nourished them, is a prime example of the complexities of biblical textual criticism. Early church fathers and later commentators grappled with these readings. Many scholars today lean towards "cared for them" because it fits well with the broader context of Paul's preceding statements (God chose, exalted, and delivered them), emphasizing His benevolent acts of sustenance and protection. However, the alternative "bore with their manners" is not out of place given the extensive biblical accounts of Israel's stubbornness in the wilderness. Regardless of the preferred nuance, the core theological message remains strong: God, by His very nature, is faithful and consistent, engaging with His people through long-suffering patience and providentially sustained care, ultimately driving forward His eternal plan for humanity's redemption through Christ.
Acts 13 18 Commentary
Acts 13:18 forms a crucial link in Paul's concise sermon, demonstrating God's consistent character throughout salvation history. This verse is not merely a historical footnote but a theological statement. Whether interpreted as God's enduring patience with rebellious Israel or His tender, unceasing provision for their every need, it highlights the divine faithfulness that precedes and undergirds the coming of the Messiah. In the wilderness, God continued to guide, sustain, and teach His people despite their persistent lack of faith. This extended period of divine interaction served as a testament to God's commitment to His covenant, even when human performance was abysmal. Paul uses this example to prepare his audience to understand that the same God who acted faithfully throughout Israel's history has now culminated His saving work in Jesus Christ, the promised Deliverer. The ultimate lesson is that God's plan of salvation progresses not because of human merit, but because of His steadfast grace and sovereign purpose.