Acts 13:50 · Bible study
Acts 13:50 Commentary: Persecution by the influential and the Gospel's advance
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How Jews used devout women and city leaders to oppose Paul and Barnabas, and what this reveals about gospel opposition and God's provision.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jewish opponents used Gentile proselyte women of high social status and city officials to force Paul and Barnabas out of the region.
- Key words: “Incited” (παρώτρυναν), to spur on, especially toward hostility; “prominent” (εὐσχήμονας), of rank and wealth; “chief men” (πρώτους), the first, the magistrates; “expelled” (ἐξέβαλον), cast out with force; “district” (ὁρίων), territorial boundaries, not necessarily coastal.
- Main debate: Whether the women were Jewish or Gentile. Nearly all supplied commentators read them as Gentile proselytes (God‑fearers) because the text distinguishes them as “worshipping” and because of the pattern in Acts of women of high standing being attracted to Judaism.
- Theological theme: Suffering and opposition from those who are outwardly religious but reject the gospel; God’s sovereignty in using even expulsion to extend the mission.
- Best use: Preaching on the nature of religious opposition; teaching that influence and respectability can be dangerous weapons against the gospel; encouragement for those facing community‑based rejection.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.
KJV King James Version 1769
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But the Jews urged on the devout women of honorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of their borders.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the first men of the city, and did raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and did put them out from their borders;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But the Jews excited the women of the upper classes who were worshippers, and the first people of the city, and raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of their coasts.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But the Jews stirred up religious and honourable women and the chief men of the city: and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas: and cast them out of their coasts.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas los Judíos concitaron mujeres pías y honestas, y á los principales de la ciudad, y levantaron persecución contra Pablo y Bernabé, y los echaron de sus términos.
Mas os judeus incitaram algumas mulheres devotas e honradas, e aos líderes da cidade, e levantaram perseguição contra Paulo e Barnabé, e os expulsaram de seus limites.
Mais les Juifs excitèrent les femmes dévotes de distinction et les principaux de la ville; ils provoquèrent une persécution contre Paul et Barnabas, et ils les chassèrent de leur territoire.
Aber die Juden bewegten die andächtigen und ehrbaren Weiber und der Stadt Oberste und erweckten eine Verfolgung über Paulus und Barnabas und stießen sie zu ihren Grenzen hinaus.
Maar de Joden maakten op de godsdienstige en eerlijke vrouwen, en de voornaamsten van de stad, en verwekten vervolging tegen Paulus en Barnabas, en wierpen ze uit hun landpalen.
Ma i Giudei istigarono le donne pie e ragguardevoli e i principali uomini della città, e suscitarono una persecuzione contro Paolo e Barnaba, e li scacciarono dai loro confini.
A Żydowie poduszczali niewiasty nabożne i uczciwe, i przedniejsze w mieście; a wzbudzili prześladowanie przeciwko Pawłowi i przeciwko Barnabaszowi, i wygnali je z granic swoich.
Но Иудеи, подстрекнув набожных и почетных женщин и первых в городе людей, воздвигли гонение на Павла и Варнаву и изгнали их из своих пределов.
但 猶太人 挑唆 虔敬、尊貴的 婦女 和 城 內有名望的人， 逼迫 保羅、 巴拿巴， 將他們 趕出 境外。
But the Jews, working up the feelings of the God-fearing women of high position and of the chief men of the town, got an attack started against Paul and Barnabas, driving them out of those parts.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 13:50
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The consulted commentators agree on the bare facts: the Jews opposed to the gospel enlisted two groups, devout women of high social standing and the city's chief men, to drive Paul and Barnabas from the region. The women are almost certainly Gentile proselytes (sebomenai, "worshipping") who had attached themselves to the synagogue. They were "of honourable estate" (Vincent on εὐσχήμονας), a word that points to wealth, status, and respectability. Clarke, Gill, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown all see these women as a channel of influence: their husbands or relatives held civic office, and by working on the women the Jews gained access to the magistrates' power. Barnes and Calvin note that the strategy was effective precisely because these women looked commendable, their opposition could shake the faith of newer believers. The persecution itself was expulsion from the district (ὁρίων, horiōn, boundaries, not necessarily a coastline), a formal or semi‑formal banishment. On all this the sources are united.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The Jews instigated opposition through respectable women and city officials, resulting in the expulsion of Paul and Barnabas from the region.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the “devout women” | They were worshippers of God (σεβομένας), likely Gentile proselytes attached to the synagogue, not Jews by birth. | Some older commentators (e.g., Gill) allow that they might have been Jewish women of the Pharisee sect, but the majority view (Clarke, Barnes, Calvin, Cambridge, JFB) identifies them as God‑fearing Gentiles. The argument turns on the word σεβομένας, which in Acts usually designates Gentile adherents to Judaism (cf. Acts 16:14, 17:4, 17:17). |
| Why the women were targeted | They were persons of influence whose husbands or relatives were among the city's magistrates; by turning them, the Jews gained access to the civil power that could expel the apostles. | Some (Calvin, Lange) emphasise the emotional/spiritual offense to weak believers, respectable opposition makes the gospel seem suspect. Others (Barnes, Poole) focus on the practical political mechanism: women used their influence on their husbands. These are complementary, not contradictory. |
| Nature of the persecution | It took the form of expulsion from the city's borders (τῶν ὁρίων). Both verbal abuse and physical violence are possible but not specified; the key action is forced removal. | The precise legal mechanism is debated. Some see a formal decree from the magistrates; others read it as a mob action encouraged by the leaders. Luke's language allows either, but the mention of “chief men” (πρώτους) suggests at least official tolerance of the expulsion. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Luke writes of Antioch in Pisidia, a Roman colony where a Jewish community attracted a network of Gentile sympathisers. These are the "devout" or "God‑fearing" people, Gentiles who worshipped the God of Israel without fully converting. In many diaspora cities such people included women of means, drawn to the synagogue's moral seriousness and its exclusion of pagan cults. Josephus ( Jewish War 2.20.2) notes that in Damascus the wives of leading Gentiles were strongly attracted to Judaism. The same dynamic appears in Acts 16 ( Lydia, a businesswoman) and 17 (the prominent Greek women in Berea). This gives the Jews a ready lever: persuade the women that the new message threatens their piety, and the women will press their husbands, the city's prōtous (first men, magistrates), to act.
Civil expulsion from a city's territory was a serious step. It stripped the apostles of a base and denied them further contact. Luke reports it matter‑of‑factly, yet the pattern is clear: the gospel's fastest growth (the whole region had heard the word, v. 49) provoked the most organised resistance. Calvin points out that when "godly and honest matrons" and city leaders unite against the faith, weak believers may stumble, exactly the sort of trial Satan would exploit. The apostles respond not by debating the expulsion but by literally shaking off the city's dust (v. 51), a symbolic witness that the city had rejected its chance.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one significant variant. The Cambridge Bible observes that in the best manuscripts the conjunction kai before “devout women” is omitted, producing a continuous phrase: “the devout women of honourable estate” rather than “the devout and honourable women.” This does not change the meaning but tightens the description: these women were devout precisely in the sense of being God‑fearing proselytes, and they were of high social standing. No other variants in this verse are discussed in the supplied commentaries.
Reception History
In the early church, this verse was read as a fulfilment of Jesus's warning that families and communities would oppose his messengers (Matthew 10:34‑39). Chrysostom highlights the irony: those who worshipped God became instruments of persecution. During the Reformation, Calvin used the text to explain why the gospel often seemed despised by the powerful and respectable, he calls it a necessary trial for the faithful, who must not judge truth by the social standing of its enemies. In the Wesleyan tradition, Clarke sees the episode as a model of the world's resistance to revival: “the devil's best agents are often those who have a form of godliness.” Modern mission literature cites Acts 13:50 as a case study in how local religious leaders can use social influence to block the spread of the gospel, and how missionaries should respond by shaking off the dust and moving on, trusting God's sovereign plan.
Preaching This Verse
Three‑point outline
- The method of opposition. The Jews did not confront Paul and Barnabas directly; they worked through intermediaries, respected women and city leaders. This is a pattern: stir up those with visible respectability, then let their influence do the work. That makes persecution more painful and harder to counter.
- The irony of devoutness opposing God. These women were sebomenai, worshippers of God. Yet they were turned against God's messengers. Religious passion is not the same as believing the gospel; it can be directed against God's work if it is tethered to a system that rejects Christ.
- God's sovereignty over the setback. Expulsion from Antioch did not stop the gospel. The apostles moved to Iconium; the disciples left behind were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (v. 52). Opposition prunes but does not kill the vine.
Five‑point outline
- Persecution often flows through people you would expect to be friendly to religion.
- Wealth and prominence can become weapons against the truth when they are leveraged by those who oppose the gospel.
- New believers are vulnerable when respectable figures turn hostile, Calvin called these "petty scandals". Pastors must warn and strengthen before the crisis hits.
- Civil authority, used to expel Christian preachers, is a recurring theme, another example of the world's rejection (cf. Mark 5:17; Acts 16:37).
- The gospel's advance does not depend on staying in any one place. Shake the dust and move on; God has prepared hearts elsewhere.
Illustration hooks
- A church split over a worship style, where the most respected long‑time members side against the pastor. Their "devoutness" makes the opposition look justified to outsiders.
- A Christian professional discovers that a business leader of good reputation is quietly blocking his promotion because of faith. The influence flows from the top down.
- The experience of a missionary team that is expelled from a village by the local council after local religious leaders spread rumours. People who seemed friendly turned out to be stone.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God let opposition come through good and honest people?
- If I face rejection from community leaders for my faith, does that mean I am doing something wrong?
- How do I tell the difference between religious devotion and gospel faith, in myself and in others?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is a brief, painful step in Paul's first missionary journey. After great success among Gentiles, the Jewish opposition changes tactics, they use the most respectable people in town to drive the apostles out. Your group's goal is to see how the gospel's truth can be resisted in ways that look good, and how we respond when the door closes.
Discussion questions
- Observation: The verse names three groups: Jews, devout women, chief men. What does each group contribute to the persecution?
- Observation: Look at the lexical note on εὐσχήμονας (euschēmonas). What does it mean for these women to be described as "prominent" or "of honourable estate"? How does that affect the way you read the opposition?
- Interpretation: The women are described as "worshipping" (from σέβομαι). They were already religious. Why would religious people become tools of persecution against God's messengers?
- Interpretation: Calvin says this kind of opposition could be a "small stumbling block" to weak believers. Have you ever seen a well‑respected Christian oppose something that seemed clearly God‑honouring? How did that affect others?
- Application: Paul and Barnabas were expelled, literally cast out of the district. What does that teach us about what to do when a door for ministry closes?
- Application: The disciples left behind were "filled with joy and the Holy Spirit" (v. 52). How can a church experience joy in the face of persecution rather than fear or bitterness?
- Broader pattern: Compare Acts 6:12 (stirring up people) and 1 Kings 21:25 (Jezebel). What does this tell you about the repeated strategy of Satan to use influence and reputation to crush truth?
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)
| I Kings 21:25 | But there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. |
| Isaiah 66:5 | Hear Yahweh’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed. |
| Amos 7:12 | Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there, |
| Matthew 10:23 | But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man has come. |
| Mark 5:17 | They began to beg him to depart from their region. |
| Acts 2:5 | Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. |
| Acts 6:12 | They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, then brought him in to the council, |
| Acts 8:1 | Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. |
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
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies these devout and honorable women as wealthy, respected Gentile converts to Judaism. Their social standing gave them influence with local magistrates, and they likely used it at the instigation of Jewish opponents to have the apostles driven from the city.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the Jews enlisted influential women, likely proselytes connected to city magistrates, to stir up opposition. He observes that those in power have often been called on to suppress revivals, using the pretext of public disorder to drive the gospel out of the region.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin points out that the persecution came from respected, religious women and city leaders, not from the disreputable. This made the opposition especially hard for new believers, who might doubt the gospel if such honorable people opposed it. So the Lord strengthened both the faithful and the apostles to press on.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator points out that the best texts read "the
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that the Jews stirred up persecution by manipulating devout and honorable women along with city leaders. These respected figures, rather than common troublemakers, became the instruments used to drive Paul and Barnabas out of the region.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the devout and honourable women not as Jewish but as Gentile proselytes of high social standing and wealth. The Jews stirred up these women to work on their husbands, the chief men of the city, who then raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that these influential Jewish converts were turned against Paul and Barnabas by the religious leaders they respected, noting that expelling the preachers was far easier than refuting them. He observes that the power of women's influence, for or against the truth, has been constant throughout church history.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange focuses on the phrase ordination to eternal life, arguing it does not teach an unconditional decree of salvation or a human self-ordering. His point is that Luke highlights divine ordering in conversion, showing that saving faith depends on God's providence without ever denying human free will or implying that unbelief is God's doing.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that this account defends Paul against Jewish critics who accused him of rashly turning to the Gentiles. He shows that Paul proceeded with deliberate caution and careful consideration before taking that step, as this very episode demonstrates.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent clarifies two words often misunderstood in this verse. "Honorable" translates a Greek term for women of high social standing, not merely moral decency. And "coasts" is misleading: the Greek word means boundaries or regions, not specifically a seacoast.