Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life we will offer it to the Gentiles. For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made You a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.'” When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.
Acts 13:46-48
Two of these verses I wanted to comment on, but notice the verse sandwiched between them. It is curious too. Notice how the NLT handles Acts 13:47. It is different from all others and I don’t agree with the way it is translated. It makes it more difficult to understand what is going on here.
For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made You a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’ (NLT)
Some other translations highlight the association with Isaiah 49:6. They make it clear that this thought comes from Isaiah in the Old Testament where clearly the focus of the verse is Christ.
- For so the Lord has charged us, saying, I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles (the heathen), that you may bring [eternal] salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth. (AMP)
- For so the Lord has commanded us, “I have set You for a Light of nations, that You be for salvation to the end of the earth.” (LITV)
- For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “I have set You to be a light of the nations, for salvation to the end of the earth.” (MKJV)
- “For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'” (NASB)
- For such is the Lord’s command to us. “‘I HAVE PLACED THEE,’ He says of Christ, ‘AS A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, IN ORDER THAT THOU MAYEST BE A SAVIOUR AS FAR AS THE REMOTEST PARTS OF THE EARTH.'” (WNT)
Other translations interpret this verse to be referring to Paul and Barnabas, that they have been called to be a light to the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the earth:
- (ASV) For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth.
- (BBE) For so the Lord has given us orders, saying, I have given you for a light to the Gentiles so that you may be for salvation to the ends of the earth.
- (CEV) The Lord has given us this command, “I have placed you here as a light for the Gentiles. You are to take the saving power of God to people everywhere on earth.”
- (EMTV) For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you to be a light of the nations, that you should be for salvation to the end of the earth.’ ”
- (ERV) This is what the Lord told us to do: ‘I have made you a light for the other nations, to show people all over the world the way to be saved.'”
- (ESV) For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'”
- (GNB) For this is the commandment that the Lord has given us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, so that all the world may be saved.’ ”
- (GW) The Lord gave us the following order: ‘I have made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.'”
- (ISV) For that is what the Lord ordered us to do: ‘I have made you a light to the gentiles to be the means of salvation to the very ends of the earth.'”
- (JUB) For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou should be for saving health unto the ends of the earth.
- (KJV) For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
- (LEB) For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you would bring salvation to the end of the earth.’
- (MSG) following orders, doing what God commanded when he said, I’ve set you up as light to all nations. You’ll proclaim salvation to the four winds and seven seas!”
- (RV) For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth.
- (TLV) For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed you as a light to the nations, so that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’”
- (WEB) For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”
- (WEBA) For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”
- (YLT) for so hath the Lord commanded us: I have set thee for a light of nations–for thy being for salvation unto the end of the earth.’
The New Living Translation masks this difference by combining the two different ways of interpreting the verse. Clearly what is happening here is that the verse from Isaiah which in its context refers to Christ being the light of the world and the light of the God to the world, is being used here by God to call Paul and Barnabas to take the light of the Gospel to the Gentiles. When the You is capitalized it refers to Christ. If as in the case of the NASB the whole Old Testament quote is capitalized we can see that in Isaiah the reference is to Christ. The AMP, LITV, MKJV, NASB and WNT all make it clear that the verse comes from the book of the prophet Isaiah and there refers to Christ. But in the New Testament context God is taking that verse and applying it to Paul and Barnabas. “I am calling you Paul and Barnabas to be my special emissaries to the Gentiles.” In my opinion the NLT has clouded the interpretation by not making the link to Isaiah 49:6 clear and then by capitalizing the “You”. This leaves us confused as to whether in the New Testament context Christ is the focus or Paul and Barnabas are the focus. Clearly Acts 13:47 demands that Paul and Barnabas are the focus which the bulk of the translations make clear.
Paul and Barnabas start by making clear to the Jews in the synagogue in Antioch, in Pisidia, that they needed to preach this astounding message that Jesus is the long awaited Christ and that salvation is found in Him and no other to the Jews first. (// Rom 1:16). It is clear, God’s message of salvation was first for the Jews because He has chosen to them to be an example to the world. (As I often tell people, maybe because they are most stubborn. – much like you and me.) But now Paul and Barnabas both say since the Jews rejected the message, they have been commanded by God to take it to the Gentiles. Notice how this is a statement of intent, but more than that it is a statement of the fact that Paul and Barnabas haven’t chosen it to be this way – God has! This prophecy was given to Isaiah originally but now God has applied to us. Oh now we understand. This is the turning point. God has now made it clear Paul and Barnabas have the commissioning to take this message to the Gentiles and to the world.
I would like to highlight just one more thing before I close. Notice that it is Paul and Barnabas who are preaching this message. Most of us would think that it was just Paul who got up to speak. No, “Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared . . .” From Acts 13:16 we would conclude that Paul spoke the first Sabbath at the synagogue but Paul and Barnabas spoke the second time. How did that work? I don’t know. Maybe the Lord spoke through them and delivered the same message with the same words. Maybe the Lord spoke through them and delivered the same message in different words. Maybe the Lord spoke through them and delivered the same message with Barnabas relaying the words of Paul to a different section of the crowd. I don’t know because I wasn’t there but it is clear from the text that they were both involved. Now in verse 47 they are both involved in the call to take the message to the Gentiles and to the ends of the earth.
Now we are ready to deal with the two verses that a number of you asked about, the tricky elements of which I have coloured green above.
We will begin to unpack the meaning of these elements in the next Gem.
Hang on to your hat and seat and anything you deem valuable, so that nothing is lost in translation.
Ian Vail
Preaching the Cross in a detached, stoic, emotionless manner shows you don’t get it! Preach Christ’s passion with passion!
Rick Warren
A person that does not value your time, will not value your advice!
Rick Godwin
Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.
Ian Vail
You may say you want to seek God with all your heart and desire to know His word deeply. Your next steps will tell you how much of all your heart is involved.
Ian Vail