Acts 7 13

Acts 7:13 kjv

And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

Acts 7:13 nkjv

And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh.

Acts 7:13 niv

On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family.

Acts 7:13 esv

And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.

Acts 7:13 nlt

The second time they went, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and they were introduced to Pharaoh.

Acts 7 verses

Acts 7 13 meaning

Acts 7:13 details two significant events in the life of Joseph in Egypt: his eventual revelation to his brothers "at the second time," and the subsequent public declaration of his entire family, his "kindred," to Pharaoh. This verse emphasizes the crucial point in the narrative where recognition and establishment occur after initial rejection and obscurity. Stephen uses this moment to underscore how God's chosen, though initially scorned by their own, are ultimately elevated and their true identity and purpose are made known.

Acts 7 13 Context

Acts chapter 7 contains Stephen's long discourse, his defense before the Jewish Sanhedrin. He is accused of blasphemy against the Law and the Temple. Instead of defending himself directly, Stephen recaps Israel's history, starting from Abraham. His purpose is to demonstrate a recurring pattern: God works sovereignly, often outside or beyond the strictures that the Jewish leadership considered absolute (like the Temple or the physical land), and God's chosen deliverers (Abraham, Joseph, Moses) have frequently been rejected by their own people.

Acts 7:13 falls within Stephen's recounting of Joseph's life. Stephen highlights Joseph as the first major figure in a series of rejected leaders within Israel's history. He details Joseph's dreams, his sale into Egypt, his rise to power, and his role in preserving his family during famine. Verse 13 marks the turning point where Joseph, after being unknown and effectively dead to his brothers for many years, finally reveals his true identity and position. This is pivotal for Stephen's overarching argument about Christ, whom the Jewish leaders also rejected, yet who God highly exalted and made a deliverer. The public revelation of Joseph's family to Pharaoh underscores the comprehensive nature of this divine elevation.

Acts 7 13 Word analysis

• And (Καὶ - Kai): A simple coordinating conjunction, connecting this event directly to the preceding narrative of Joseph's early life and the brothers' initial, unrecognized interaction with him. It emphasizes the continuity of God's unfolding plan.
• at the second time (τῷ δευτέρῳ - tō deuterō): This phrase is critical. In Stephen's retelling, it draws specific attention to the timing of Joseph's revelation. It implies a previous failure of recognition and underscores the concept of a repeated opportunity or subsequent appearance. This timing is highly significant typologically, hinting at Christ's "second coming" for full recognition by Israel, contrasting with His initial rejection.
• Joseph (Ἰωσὴφ - Iōsēph): The central human figure. His name means "He adds" or "May he add," fitting for one through whom God greatly increased and preserved a family. Stephen presents him as a prototype of Christ, a chosen one sent by God, rejected by his brothers, yet becoming a savior through his exaltation.
• was made known (ἀνεγνωρίσθη - anegnōristhē): From the verb anagnorizō, meaning "to recognize again," "to make known again," or "to reveal." It is in the aorist passive, emphasizing that the action happened in the past and Joseph was the recipient of the action (he was made known, not that he made himself known, though he did the action in Gen 45:1). This verb highlights the revelation of an already existing identity that had previously been hidden or unrecognized. The passive voice can subtly hint at divine orchestration behind the timing and success of this recognition.
• to his brethren (τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ - tois adelphois autou): Identifies the recipients of this revelation. The relationship is key – those who rejected him now come to recognize him. Stephen's immediate audience (the Sanhedrin) are also "brethren" of those who rejected Christ.
• and Joseph's kindred (καὶ τὸ γένος τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ - kai to genos tou Iōsēph):
  • and (καὶ - kai): Again, a conjunction, indicating a subsequent and related event.
  • the kindred (τὸ γένος - to genos): This word refers to a race, family, nation, or lineage. It signifies not just Joseph as an individual, but his entire extended family. The implication is that God's blessing and purpose extended to the whole group, bringing them from obscurity into prominence. This includes Jacob and all his sons.
• was made known (φανερὸν ἐγένετο - phanerone egeneto):
  • was made manifest/became visible (φανερὸν - phaneron): An adjective meaning "manifest, visible, obvious, evident."
  • it became/happened (ἐγένετο - egeneto): From ginomai, "to become, happen, come into being." Combined, phaneron egeneto means "it became manifest" or "it was made obvious." This differs slightly from anegnōristhē in that phaneron egeneto points to a more public and broad revelation, a making visible to all, not just a personal recognition. This applies to Pharaoh, a stranger, seeing Joseph's family clearly for the first time.
• unto Pharaoh (τῷ Φαραώ - tō Pharaō): The ultimate authority in Egypt. The fact that Joseph's family was made known to Pharaoh signifies the full public establishment and legitimation of Joseph and his kin at the highest level of worldly power, signifying divine endorsement and favor on a national scale.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren: This phrase sets up the powerful typology of the "second time" recognition. Joseph was initially unrecognized and then finally revealed himself in his exalted position. This strongly parallels the initial rejection of Christ by His Jewish "brethren" and the anticipated future time (often seen as the Second Coming or the national repentance of Israel) when He will be recognized by them in His full glory and savior status. The passive voice suggests God's sovereign hand in orchestrating this revelation, rather than simply Joseph's individual choice.
• and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh: This signifies a further layer of divine purpose. Not only Joseph himself, but his entire lineage was publicly recognized and given a place of prominence by the greatest earthly power. This validates God's covenant with Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, demonstrating His faithfulness even when His chosen family was on the brink of extinction. It foreshadows the broader establishment and blessing that will come to all those associated with God's ultimate Chosen One, Jesus, not just to the individual Savior.

Acts 7 13 Bonus section

Stephen's use of "the second time" with Joseph can be deeply unsettling to his Jewish audience. It subtly suggests that God's plans sometimes require a period of waiting, a test, or a second approach, implying a lack of recognition or understanding on the first instance. This directly connects to the contemporary context of the Sanhedrin, who had "failed" to recognize Jesus as Messiah in His first coming. The expectation of a second "time" for full recognition is thus subtly introduced. Furthermore, the fact that Pharaoh, a gentile ruler, recognized and honored Joseph's family signifies that God's plan often involves and is made manifest to the gentile world, not exclusively to Israel, a challenging thought for the Jewish exclusivism of the day. Joseph's story also speaks to divine wisdom that allows temporary suffering and hiddenness for a greater, ultimate purpose of preservation and salvation (Gen 50:20).

Acts 7 13 Commentary

Acts 7:13 serves as a concise yet powerful historical reference within Stephen's theological defense. It highlights a critical moment in the life of Joseph, underscoring two pivotal revelations: his identity to his brothers and his family's identity to Pharaoh. The emphasis on "at the second time" is crucial, drawing attention to a pattern in divine providence where initial rejection or obscurity precedes a clearer, more powerful revelation. This acts as a clear parallel (or "type") to the life of Jesus: rejected by His own people during His first advent, yet destined to be universally acknowledged in His future manifestation. The dual nature of the revelation – to "his brethren" (personal, recognizing a forgotten bond) and to "Pharaoh" (public, establishing official status) – demonstrates God's comprehensive plan of restoration and exaltation. Stephen uses this not only to recount history but to gently admonish the Sanhedrin, inviting them to recognize their own historical blindness to God's deliverers, a blindness that now extended to Christ Himself. The verse implicitly argues for God's ability to work His sovereign plan despite and through human failure and betrayal.