Acts 13 31

Acts 13:31 kjv

And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

Acts 13:31 nkjv

He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.

Acts 13:31 niv

and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

Acts 13:31 esv

and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.

Acts 13:31 nlt

And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel.

Acts 13 verses

Acts 13 31 Meaning

Acts 13:31 explains a pivotal piece of evidence for Jesus' resurrection: His prolonged and multiple post-resurrection appearances. He revealed Himself over an extended period to a specific group of people—those who had consistently accompanied Him throughout His ministry, from Galilee to Jerusalem. These individuals, having experienced His true physical resurrection firsthand, were thereby established and commissioned as His authentic, authoritative witnesses, tasked with proclaiming this foundational truth to the people, primarily Israel.

Acts 13 31 Context

Acts chapter 13 begins the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. They arrive in Antioch of Pisidia and enter the synagogue on the Sabbath. Paul is invited to speak. His sermon (Acts 13:16-41) provides a historical overview of Israel, leading up to the coming of John the Baptist and then Jesus the Messiah. Paul clearly articulates Jesus' identity as the fulfillment of God's promises, His crucifixion by the Jews, and crucially, God's raising Him from the dead. Verse 31 specifically provides the robust evidence for this resurrection – the tangible, observable appearances of Jesus for "many days" to His trusted followers. This testimony counters any contemporary Jewish beliefs that the Messiah would not suffer or die, and emphatically proves His identity and divine vindication, establishing the foundation for the call to repentance and justification offered through belief in Jesus (Acts 13:38-39). The verse is critical for establishing the reliability and authority of the eyewitnesses for the benefit of Paul's audience.

Acts 13 31 Word analysis

• He was seen:
  • Greek: ὤφθη ( ophthē), aorist passive indicative of horao.
  • Significance: The passive voice emphasizes divine agency. It was God who caused Jesus to be "seen" or "revealed." It was not merely a subjective vision but an objective, real appearance. This word is consistently used in post-resurrection accounts to denote clear, verifiable sightings, reinforcing the reality and physicality of Jesus' resurrected body.
• for many days:
  • Greek: ἐφ' ἡμέρας πλείους ( eph' hēmeras pleious).
  • Significance: This phrase highlights the duration and repeated nature of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances. It implies ample time for the witnesses to observe, interact, and confirm Jesus' identity, and to receive His teaching. Acts 1:3 specifies this period as forty days, which allowed for various forms of proof (eating, teaching, touching), thereby discrediting any idea of a fleeting ghost or a hallucination. It established firm conviction in the witnesses.
• by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem:
  • Greek: τοῖς συναναβᾶσιν αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ ( tois synanabasin autō apo tēs Galilaias eis Hierousalēm).
  • συναναβᾶσιν (synanabasin - literally "fellow-travelers" or "ascenders with"): This term signifies a deep, sustained companionship. These were not casual acquaintances but individuals who had shared Jesus' ministry journey, implying an intimate familiarity with Him prior to His crucifixion.
  • Significance: This specifies the qualified witnesses. They were not randomly chosen or newly converted individuals but the core group of disciples who had firsthand knowledge of Jesus throughout His public ministry. Their extended presence from the northern region (Galilee) to the capital (Jerusalem) covered the breadth of Jesus' ministry. This credentialed them as reliable, informed, and authentic eyewitnesses, establishing a chain of verifiable testimony.
• who are now His witnesses:
  • Greek: οἵτινές εἰσιν αὐτοῦ μάρτυρες ( hoitines eisin autou martyres).
  • μάρτυρες (martyres): The plural of martys, from which "martyr" derives. It means "witness," especially one who testifies in a court of law, often under oath and with potential cost.
  • Significance: This defines the core identity and calling of the apostles. Their encounter with the risen Christ transformed them from fearful followers to divinely appointed, bold witnesses. Their entire purpose became to testify to this singular, earth-shattering event: the resurrection. This witness was authoritative and comprehensive, founded on personal experience. The term carries the implicit readiness to suffer, even unto death, for the truth they proclaimed.
• to the people:
  • Greek: πρὸς τὸν λαόν ( pros ton laon).
  • Significance: In the context of Paul's sermon in the synagogue, "the people" refers primarily to the Jewish people (Israel), reflecting God's established covenant with them. The gospel was "to the Jew first" (Rom 1:16). This points to the initial priority of the witness. While the message would eventually spread to the Gentiles, its immediate focus in Paul's sermon and the apostles' initial mission was to call Israel to repentance and faith in their crucified and risen Messiah.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "He was seen for many days": This phrase directly addresses and counters potential objections about the reality of Jesus' resurrection appearances. It underscores that these were not momentary hallucinations, or obscure events, but prolonged, repeated, and interactive encounters, providing substantial time for verification by the witnesses.
• "by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem": This precisely identifies and qualifies the nature of the witnesses. They possessed intimate, long-term knowledge of Jesus before His death, allowing them to verify that the resurrected one was indeed the same Jesus they knew. This bolsters the credibility of their testimony and dispels any notion of mistaken identity or newly fabricated claims. Their geographic range indicates they were comprehensive observers of His public ministry.
• "who are now His witnesses to the people": This powerfully links the historical fact of the resurrection appearances to the ongoing apostolic mission. The appearances were not merely for personal reassurance; they were the essential credentialing process for their commission. The resurrection forged them into undeniable, living testimonies, whose role was to proclaim this good news, initially to Israel. Their testimony was foundational to the entire Christian message.

Acts 13 31 Bonus section

The transformation of the disciples, from cowering individuals locked in fear after the crucifixion, to bold proclamators willing to face persecution and death, strongly corroborates the reality of the post-resurrection appearances. The conviction solidified by these repeated and prolonged encounters gave them the unwavering courage to preach the risen Christ, starting on Pentecost (Acts 2). This verse implicitly highlights the foundational requirement for apostolic witness: having personally seen the resurrected Lord (cf. 1 Cor 9:1, Acts 22:14-15). This distinguishes the apostles from later generations of believers.

Acts 13 31 Commentary

Acts 13:31 serves as a cornerstone of the early Christian kerygma, or proclamation. In Paul's address, it establishes the veracity of Jesus' resurrection not as a theological concept alone, but as an historical event with irrefutable human testimony. The emphasis on "many days" provides the time factor for genuine encounter and verification, removing any doubt about fleeting illusions. The carefully specified group of witnesses – "those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem" – signifies continuity, intimacy, and unqualified reliability. They were not just random observers, but people who knew Jesus personally before His crucifixion. This deep knowledge qualified them to attest that it was truly the same Jesus who had risen. Their present state, "now His witnesses," indicates their transformed role and ongoing commitment to sharing this life-changing truth. This divine appointment validates their message as having authority rooted in personal, tangible experience of the resurrected Christ. Their initial mandate "to the people" (Israel) demonstrates the orderly progression of God's plan, starting with His covenant nation.