Acts 13:39 kjv
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Acts 13:39 nkjv
and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Acts 13:39 niv
Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.
Acts 13:39 esv
and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
Acts 13:39 nlt
Everyone who believes in him is made right in God's sight ? something the law of Moses could never do.
Acts 13 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 3:20 | For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. | Law reveals sin, but cannot justify. |
| Rom 3:24 | ...and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus... | Justification is a gift by grace through Christ. |
| Rom 3:28 | For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. | Justification is by faith, not works. |
| Rom 5:1 | Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. | Justification by faith leads to peace. |
| Gal 2:16 | ...a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ... | Explicit denial of justification by works of Law. |
| Gal 3:11 | Now that no one is justified by the law before God is evident, for "The righteous shall live by faith." | Reiteration that Law cannot justify. |
| Gal 3:24-25 | So the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian... | Law's temporary, preparatory role leading to Christ. |
| Php 3:9 | ...and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ... | Contrast between self-righteousness and Christ's. |
| Heb 7:18-19 | For on the one hand a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect)... | Old Law's weakness and inability to perfect. |
| Heb 10:4 | For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. | Sacrifices under Law could not truly cleanse. |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. | Righteousness gained through Christ's sacrifice. |
| Act 10:43 | To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. | Forgiveness for all who believe in Him. |
| Act 15:10-11 | Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will. | Acknowledges the burden and inability of the Law. |
| Jer 31:31-34 | Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel... | Prophecy of the New Covenant replacing the Old. |
| Heb 8:6-7 | But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better... | New Covenant superior to the old. |
| Gen 15:6 | And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. | Abraham justified by faith, foreshadowing. |
| Hab 2:4 | Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. | Old Testament foundation for justification by faith. |
| Rom 8:1 | There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. | Consequence of justification: no condemnation. |
| Eph 2:8-9 | For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works... | Salvation, including justification, is by grace and faith, not works. |
| Tit 3:5 | He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy... | Salvation not based on human works. |
| Gal 5:4 | You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. | Seeking justification by law separates from Christ. |
| Col 2:13-14 | And you, who were dead in your trespasses...he made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses... | Forgiveness of all trespasses in Christ. |
Acts 13 verses
Acts 13 39 Meaning
Acts 13:39 declares that through Jesus Christ, everyone who trusts in Him is declared righteous by God, absolved of all sins from which they could never be declared righteous by simply following the Law of Moses. This means that full and complete pardon and right standing with God are granted freely by faith in Christ, a feat impossible through human effort or adherence to the Old Covenant's legal requirements.
Acts 13 39 Context
This verse is part of Paul's inaugural sermon in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:16-41). Having established Jesus' Davidic lineage, His crucifixion and glorious resurrection as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, Paul then declares the profound implications of Christ's work. Acts 13:38 presents the forgiveness of sins through Jesus. Acts 13:39 builds upon this, explaining how that forgiveness is received (through belief in Christ) and, crucially, contrasts it sharply with the Mosaic Law's inability to provide such comprehensive justification. Paul is addressing Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, many of whom would have deep reverence for the Law, directly challenging the prevailing assumption that righteous standing before God was achieved through Law-keeping.
Acts 13 39 Word analysis
- and by Him (καὶ ἐν τούτῳ, kai en toutō): The Greek en indicates instrumentality or means, emphasizing that Christ himself is the active agent or instrument of this justification. It's not just "with" Him, but "through" or "by means of" His finished work. The specific reference points unequivocally to Jesus, who has been the subject of Paul's entire sermon (Acts 13:23-37).
- everyone who believes (πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων, pas ho pisteuōn): "Everyone" makes the offer universal, without distinction of Jew or Gentile, male or female. "Who believes" (from pisteuō, "to have faith," "to trust," "to rely upon") indicates that personal faith and reliance upon Christ, not works or ethnic lineage, is the sole condition for receiving this justification. This is a faith that involves trusting commitment to the person of Jesus.
- is justified (δικαιοῦται, dikaioutai): This is a key theological term. From dikaioō, meaning "to declare righteous," "to acquit," "to pronounce righteous." It is a forensic or legal declaration by God, a divine verdict that a person stands guiltless and righteous in His sight. It's a gracious act of God imputing Christ's righteousness, not an internal change of nature (though transformation follows). The present passive tense implies a continuous state: those who believe are continually declared righteous.
- from all things (ἀπὸ πάντων, apo pantōn): "From all things" refers to "all sins," "all charges," or "all offenses." The Greek apo means "from," indicating a removal or separation from the burden of guilt. The term "all" signifies the completeness of Christ's justification – every transgression, past, present, and future, is covered, distinguishing it sharply from the Law's limited capacity.
- from which you could not be justified (ὧν οὐκ ἠδυνήθητε ... δικαιωθῆναι, hōn ouk ēdynēthēte... dikaiōthēnai): This phrase highlights the inherent impotence or inability of the Law of Moses to justify people fully or universally. The negative ouk (not) and ēdynēthēte (you were able) create a strong, unambiguous declaration of the Law's insufficiency for justification from sins. It was weak where Christ is powerful. The Law revealed sin and established requirements but could not remove guilt or provide full forgiveness and righteousness.
- by the law of Moses (ἐν νόμῳ Μωϋσέως, en nomō Mōyseōs): Refers to the Torah, the Mosaic covenant with its commands, ordinances, and rituals. The problem was not the Law itself, which is holy and good (Rom 7:12), but human inability to perfectly keep it, and the Law's intrinsic limitation to provide perfect atonement for all sins or impart actual righteousness to a sinner. It served to reveal sin (Rom 3:20) and bring condemnation, not to justify from all condemnation.
Acts 13 39 Bonus section
- This declaration by Paul serves as a theological cornerstone for his later, more detailed epistles like Romans and Galatians, where he extensively unpacks the themes of justification by faith versus justification by works of the Law.
- The inability of the Law to justify "from all things" includes transgressions (sins of commission), unrighteousness (sins of omission), and the state of guilt itself. The sacrificial system under the Law provided temporary atonement for specific, known sins, but did not impute a righteous standing or remove the power of sin definitively.
- Paul's argument here is not that the Law is inherently bad, but that its purpose was never to be the ultimate means of salvation or justification. Its role was to reveal sin and prepare the way for the one who could provide perfect righteousness and salvation.
Acts 13 39 Commentary
Acts 13:39 delivers a profound and concise articulation of the heart of the Gospel, standing in stark contrast to reliance on the Mosaic Law. Paul emphatically declares that genuine justification, a state of being perfectly righteous before God, is attainable only through faith in Jesus Christ, and importantly, is complete ("from all things"). This immediately challenges the widespread Jewish understanding that right standing with God was secured through meticulous adherence to the Law, rituals, and tradition.
The Law, though divine in origin and morally good, was designed to reveal God's perfect standard and, consequently, expose humanity's pervasive sinfulness, demonstrating that no one could earn justification through its performance. It condemned, rather than justified from all transgressions. Christ's work, through His substitutionary death and resurrection, uniquely provides the perfect righteousness necessary for acceptance with God. Thus, this verse clarifies that the new covenant in Christ inaugurates a superior path to righteousness—a gift received by faith, freeing believers from the condemnation and insurmountable burden that the Law's demands placed upon them. It signifies a liberation from attempting to earn favor with God, inviting simple trust in His completed redemptive work.
- Example: Imagine trying to climb a mountain to touch the sun – the Law demands a height no human can reach. Jesus, however, provides a way for the sun's light to embrace you right where you are.
- Example: The Law points out every speck of dirt, but only Christ's sacrifice actually cleanses and makes spotless.