Acts 13:41 · Bible study
Acts 13:41 Commentary: The Work That Defies Unbelief
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How Paul applies Habakkuk's warning to his generation. The 'work' God is doing that scoffers reject. A study of judgment and unbelief.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God warns that He will do an incredible work of judgment on those who reject His word, a work so severe that scoffers will not believe it even when told.
- Key words: 'Scoffers' (καταφρονηταί) = despisers; 'perish' (ἀφανίσθητε) = vanish, be destroyed; 'work' (ἔργον) = deed, undertaking.
- Main debate: Whether the 'work' refers primarily to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem (Barnes, Gill) or also includes the unbelievable nature of the gospel itself (Calvin, Wesley).
- Theological theme: Judgment on unbelief; the certainty that God will act; the danger of growing calloused toward warning.
- Best use: An evangelistic or preaching warning to those who dismiss the gospel; a corrective for complacency among believers.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
‘Behold, you scoffers! Wonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; For I work a work in your days, A work which ye shall in no wise believe, if one declare it unto you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
See, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish, because a work I--I do work in your days, a work in which ye may not believe, though any one may declare it to you.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which ye will in no wise believe if one declare it to you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you will not believe, if any man shall tell it you.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mirad, oh menospreciadores, y entonteceos, y desvaneceos; porque yo obro una obra en vuestros días, obra que no|strong="G3756, G3361" creeréis, si alguien os la contare.
Vós desprezadores, vede e espantai-vos, e desaparecei-vos; porque eu opero obra em vossos dias, obra na qual não crereis, se alguém vos contar.
Voyez, contempteurs,
“ Seht, ihr Verächter, und verwundert euch und werdet zunichte! denn ich tue ein Werk zu euren Zeiten, welches ihr nicht glauben werdet, so es euch jemand erzählen wird.”
Ziet, gij verachters, en verwondert u, en verdwijnt; want Ik werk een werk in uw dagen, een werk, hetwelk gij niet zult geloven, zo het u iemand verhaalt.
Vedete, o sprezzatori, e maravigliatevi, e dileguatevi, perché io fo un’opera ai dì vostri, un’opera che voi non credereste, se qualcuno ve la narrasse.
Obaczcie wy wzgardziciele i dziwujcie się, a wniwecz się obróćcie; bo ja sprawuję sprawę za dni waszych, sprawę, której nie wierzycie, choćby wam kto o niej powiadał.
смотрите, презрители, подивитесь и исчезните; ибо Я делаю дело во дни ваши, дело, которому не поверили бы вы, если бы кто рассказывал вам.
主說：你們這輕慢的人 要觀看， 要驚奇， 要滅亡；因為 在 你們的 時候，我 行 一件事，雖 有人 告訴 你們，你們總是不 信。」
See, you doubters, have wonder and come to your end; for I will do a thing in your days to which you will not give belief, even if it is made clear to you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 13:41
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Paul's quotation of Habakkuk 1:5 functions as a stern warning against unbelief. The original prophecy threatened judgment through the Chaldean invasion; Paul reapplies it to his hearers, warning that rejecting the Messiah will bring a similar, or worse, destruction. Barnes and Gill specify this refers to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, an event so catastrophic that even when foretold it would seem unbelievable. Calvin broadens the application: God's vengeance falls on all despisers of his word, across every age. Clarke notes the textual shift from the Hebrew 'among the nations' to the Greek 'despisers' (καταφρονηταί), which sharpens the indictment. The emphatic pronoun 'I' (ἐγὼ) in 'I work a work' stresses God's direct agency. Vincent adds that the verb 'perish' (ἀφανίσθητε) literally means to vanish, conveying total destruction. The warning is clear: scoffers who refuse to believe the work God is doing will find themselves swept away in judgment.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Judgment on Jerusalem (AD 70): Barnes, Gill, JFB: the parallel with Habakkuk's Chaldean invasion and Paul's implied threat of Roman destruction, supported by cross-references like Daniel 9:26.
- General judgment on unbelief: Calvin, Wesley: the broader application to all despisers of God's word, with no need for a specific historical fulfillment.
- The incredible work of salvation: Some interpreters include the gospel itself as the work that seems too good to be true, based on the immediate context of justification by faith (v. 39).
What is clear: God is actively doing a work in the present generation that requires faith to recognize, and unbelief will lead to destruction.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the 'despisers' | Paul addresses Jews in the synagogue who are tempted to reject the gospel. | Some interpret 'despisers' as the unbelieving Jewish leaders specifically; others apply it broadly to anyone who scoffs at God's word, including Gentiles. |
| The nature of the 'work' | God is directly active in a significant historical event that will shock observers. | Barnes, Gill and JFB identify it as the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. Calvin and Wesley apply it more broadly to any judgment on despisers of the word, and some include the incredible work of salvation through Christ. |
| Textual issue (MT vs. LXX) | Paul follows the Septuagint reading, which differs from the Masoretic Hebrew. | Clarke explains it as a variant Hebrew tradition (bogdim instead of bagoyim). Some conservative commentators argue the LXX translation is interpretive but still inspired in the apostle's use. |
| Applicability beyond the first century | The warning applies to all who hear the gospel yet refuse to believe. | Some see a direct prophecy of AD 70; others view it as a pattern of judgment that recurs whenever God's word is despised. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting is Paul's synagogue sermon in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:14, 41). After tracing Israel's history and proclaiming Jesus as the risen Savior who brings justification by faith (vv. 38, 39), Paul issues a solemn warning. He quotes Habakkuk 1:5, but with a significant alteration. The Hebrew text reads 'Behold among the nations'; the Septuagint (LXX) reads 'Behold, you despisers.' As Clarke explains, this change likely arose from reading bogdim instead of bagoyim, a variant that fits Paul's audience perfectly. He is addressing Jews tempted to dismiss the gospel; the word 'despisers' targets their heart attitude.
The original prophecy warned that God would raise up the Chaldeans to judge Israel, a work so incredible that no one would believe it even when told. Paul reapplies it: God is again doing an 'unbelievable' work. Barnes, Gill, and the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary identify this as the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, which indeed seemed unthinkable to the Jewish people. Paul emphasizes God's direct agency with the emphatic pronoun 'I' (ἐγὼ) in 'I work a work.' The verb 'perish' (ἀφανίσθητε) suggests being utterly removed or made to vanish, strong language conveying total destruction.
The quote sits between the proclamation of forgiveness through Christ and the Gentiles' eager response (v. 42). The contrast is stark: some believe the incredible work of salvation; others scoff and face the incredible work of judgment. Paul's use of the LXX shows his missionary strategy, he meets his audience in the Scriptures they know, but confronts them with a challenge they cannot ignore.
Textual Notes
The primary textual issue involves the source of Paul's quotation. The Masoretic Hebrew of Habakkuk 1:5 reads 'Behold among the nations' (רְאוּ בַגּוֹיִם), while the Septuagint (LXX) reads 'Behold, you despisers' (ἴδετε οἱ καταφρονηταί). Paul follows the LXX. Clarke notes that the LXX translators may have read bogdim ('despisers') rather than bagoyim ('among the nations'). The LXX manuscripts show minor variations (some add 'and wonder' twice, which Luke omits), but the sense is consistent. The consulted commentaries (Clarke, Gill, Barnes) do not note any significant textual variants within Acts 13:41 itself. The quotation is accurate to the LXX form Paul used.
Reception History
This verse has been read across church traditions as a sobering call to heed God's warnings. Early Christian interpreters saw it as a proof that judgment falls on those who reject Christ, linking it to the destruction of Jerusalem. In the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible emphasized that the warning applies to all who despise the gospel, not just ancient Jews. Wesley used it to illustrate how unbelief blinds people to both promises and threats, 'I work a work which ye will in nowise believe.' Modern commentators consistently highlight the parallel between Habakkuk's 'incredible' work (Chaldean invasion) and the coming Roman destruction, which many Jews found equally unbelievable. The verse has been cited in sermons as a warning against religious complacency, reminding hearers that God's word must be believed even when it seems too harsh or too good to be true.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The identity of scoffers. Paul addresses 'despisers', those who dismiss God's word and refuse to believe. Proverbs 1:24, 32 describes the same hardened attitude: they would not listen, so they are consumed by their own way.
- The work God does. God declares, 'I work a work.' In Habakkuk, this was the Chaldean invasion. In Acts, it points forward to the destruction of Jerusalem (Barnes, Gill) and ultimately to the judgment that falls on all who reject Christ. But the gospel itself is an incredible work: justification by faith (v. 39) seemed too good and too demanding to believe.
- The required response. 'Wonder and perish' is not a command to fall into despair; it is a warning that scoffing leads to ruin. The alternative is to heed the word, believe the unbelievable, and find grace.
Five-point outline
- A warning from history. Habakkuk's prophecy was fulfilled when Babylon conquered Jerusalem. God's word is not empty.
- The context in Acts. Paul has just preached the resurrection and justification. The warning follows the promise, grace and judgment are tied together.
- The textual shift. 'Among the nations' becomes 'despisers.' This confronts Paul's audience with their own hearts. They are not neutral onlookers; they are either believers or scoffers.
- The incredible nature of God's work. The destruction of the temple in AD 70 seemed impossible to many Jews. Likewise, the cross seemed foolishness. God's ways are beyond human expectation.
- The tragedy of unbelief. 'You will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.' Even clear testimony cannot persuade a heart set against God.
Illustration hooks
- People who ignore hurricane warnings because they cannot imagine the devastation actually happening.
- A patient who refuses a doctor's diagnosis of a serious disease because the early symptoms feel mild.
- Archaeologists who initially dismissed evidence of ancient Jerusalem's destruction because it seemed too thorough.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is God still doing 'works' today that we are in danger of disbelieving?
- How can I tell if I am growing calloused toward God's warnings?
- If judgment is real, how do we share this without becoming harsh or fear-driven?
Leading a Discussion
Paul's warning is not just for ancient Jews; it speaks to anyone who hears the gospel but refuses to believe it. The 'work' God is doing may be salvation or judgment, but either way it defies human expectation. This passage invites us to examine our own hearts: are we scoffers who dismiss what God says, or are we willing to believe even when it seems hard to accept?
Discussion questions
- What does Paul quote in verse 41, and where does it come from in the Old Testament?
- Paul changes 'among the nations' to 'despisers.' Why do you think the apostles and early church used the Septuagint version? What effect does this change have on the meaning?
- Based on the sermon context (vv.16, 41), what 'work' did Paul have in mind? Consider both the judgment on Jerusalem and the message of justification by faith.
- Why does God's work seem 'unbelievable'? What makes people unwilling to believe it even when it is clearly declared?
- In what ways are we tempted to 'despise' or dismiss God's word today? How does that show up in church life or personal devotion?
- How should the reality of judgment shape our prayer life and witness? Does it produce fear or urgency, or both?
- What would it look like for your group to 'believe' a work of God that seems too good or too severe to be true?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Proverbs 1:24 | Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; |
| Proverbs 1:32 | For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them. |
| Proverbs 5:12 | and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof. |
| Isaiah 5:24 | Therefore as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as the dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust, because they have rejected the law of Yahweh of Armies, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. |
| Isaiah 28:14 | Therefore hear Yahweh’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem: |
| Isaiah 28:22 | Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, on the whole earth. |
| Isaiah 65:15 | You will leave your name for a curse to my chosen, and the Lord Yahweh will kill you. He will call his servants by another name, |
| Daniel 9:26 | After the sixty-two weeks the Anointed One will be cut off, and will have nothing. The people of the prince who come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end will be with a flood, and war will be even to the end. Desolations are determined. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that Paul quotes the Greek translation, not the Hebrew original, changing "among the pagan" to "despisers." This adaptation points to God bringing destruction on the Jews for rejecting the gospel. Their stubborn confidence in the temple's safety made them unable to believe such judgment was possible, yet it came.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that Paul adapts Habakkuk's warning to show God's judgment applies to any age, not just the original audience. Those who despise God's word can expect the same severe punishment, so shocking that no one will believe it until it arrives.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the Septuagint renders "Behold, ye despisers" differently from the Hebrew text's "Behold, ye among the heathen." It explains that long-continued wrongdoing hardens people against all warnings, making them incapable of believing what they hear.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that God's work is so astonishing that even when it is plainly announced, scoffers will refuse to believe it. The warning is directed at those who despise God's actions, with the prediction that they will be stunned into silence by events they cannot accept.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill defends the translation "despisers" in this quotation, showing that the Greek and Syriac versions support it and that the Hebrew root implies insolent behavior. He applies the warning directly to Paul's Jewish audience, who would despise the gospel and refuse to believe the coming destruction of Jerusalem, just as their ancestors had.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the apostle Paul applies Habakkuk's warning about the Chaldean invasion to his own generation. The original warning was merciful but went unheeded, and now an even more awful calamity is coming upon those who refuse even unexceptionable testimony.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes how Paul builds his sermon on a deliberate recital of Israel's history, showing that every event from the patriarchs through the judges and kings was God's patient preparation for sending Jesus as the promised Savior. Even the rejection of Christ by Jerusalem's rulers, Paul argues, fulfilled the very prophets they heard read every Sabbath.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent points out that the word translated "declare" is a very strong Greek expression meaning a full and clear declaration. The word for "perish" literally means "vanish," emphasizing a sudden and complete disappearance.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes this warning first addressed those who refused to believe God would deliver them from the Chaldeans