The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The word "exalted" here doesn't just mean God made them great in number; it points to God elevating a people who were strangers and oppressed, revealing His power to lift the lowliest, not just bless the already distinguished. This shows that God's plan for Israel, and by extension for us, often begins with a humble starting point, where His strength is most clearly displayed.
The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this synagogue sermon in Antioch, Paul begins by reminding his Jewish listeners of God's faithfulness throughout their history. He recounts how God chose their ancestors, elevated their descendants from vulnerability to strength during their time in Egypt, and powerfully led them out of slavery with an outstretched arm. This historical preamble sets the stage for Paul to connect God's past actions to His present work in Jesus.
Paul starts his sermon by reminding the Jewish listeners who God is and what He's done. But he emphasizes something crucial about this relationship: it wasn't earned.
Paul begins by calling God 'The God of this people Israel' and reminding them that He 'chose our fathers.' This wasn't a choice based on Israel's greatness or any special merit they possessed.
Divine Election
Even while living as foreigners in Egypt, God didn't just let His people exist – He elevated them. What does this 'exaltation' really mean in their context?
The verse mentions that God 'exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt.' This might seem counterintuitive, as they were enslaved. However, 'exalted' here signifies God causing them to grow, multiply, and become a significant entity, even within their oppressive circumstances.
God's Flourishing in Adversity
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The climax of this historical summary is the exodus. Paul uses powerful imagery to describe God's intervention – an image that speaks volumes about His power and commitment.
The verse culminates with God bringing them out 'with an high arm.' This phrase isn't just poetic; it's a vivid picture of God's direct, undeniable, and overwhelming power.
God's Irresistible Power
Understand the original words
exelexato · Greek Verb
The act of God selecting specific individuals, groups, or nations for His unique purposes, covenant relationship, or mission. It is grounded in His sovereign grace and divine initiative rather than human merit or achievement.
pateras · Greek Noun
Refers to the ancient patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) with whom God established His covenant. They are the progenitors of the nation of Israel and the recipients of God's initial promises of land, seed, and blessing.
brachioni hypsēlō · Greek Noun phrase
An anthropomorphic expression denoting God's active, powerful intervention in human history to rescue His people. It signifies the display of divine strength, sovereign authority, and saving power against oppressors.
Paul begins his sermon by recounting the foundational story of Israel's salvation – their deliverance from Egypt. This shared history, marked by God's powerful intervention, serves as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and His chosen people, setting the stage for his message about Jesus.
c. 1876 BC
Joseph rises to power in Egypt
Joseph, a descendant of Abraham, is elevated to a position of great authority in Egypt, paving the way for his family to settle there.
c. 1800 BC - 1550 BC
Israelites sojourn and multiply in Egypt
Jacob's descendants settle in the land of Goshen. Initially welcomed, they eventually become a large population, viewed with suspicion by new Egyptian rulers.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Exodus from Egypt
Under Moses' leadership and through God's powerful intervention, the Israelites are dramatically delivered from centuries of slavery in Egypt.
c. 1446 BC - 1406 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
For forty years, the Israelites journey through the Sinai desert, receiving God's guidance and law, but also experiencing frequent rebellion.
This verse directly echoes the language of Moses' call, highlighting God's awareness of His people's suffering and His intention to deliver them, mirroring the historical narrative Paul is invoking in Acts.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8This passage emphasizes God's sovereign choice of Israel not based on their size or merit, but on His love and faithfulness to His promises to the patriarchs, which is the foundational theme Paul begins with in Acts.
Psalm 78:12-16This Psalm recounts God's mighty acts in leading Israel out of Egypt, showing wonders and providing for them, which is a powerful Old Testament parallel to the historical summary Paul presents.
Isaiah 40:10This prophetic declaration of God's mighty power, described as coming 'with an arm ruling,' strongly parallels the 'uplifted arm' used to describe God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt.
Acts 7:17-18Stephen's speech in Acts 7 also begins with God choosing Israel and their fathers, and then details their growth and subsequent oppression in Egypt, showing a clear thematic and historical parallel to Paul's sermon.
ellicottActs 13:17: "The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it."
(17) The God of this people of Israel. —It will be observed that St. Paul, as far as the plan of his discourse is concerned, follows in the footsteps of St. Stephen, and begins by a recapitulation of the main facts of the history of Israel. It was a theme which Israelites were never tired of listening to. It s…
bensonActs 13:17: "The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it."
Acts 13:17-18 . The God of this people, &c. — Such a commemoration of God’s favours to their fathers, as he here gives, was at once calculated to conciliate their minds to the speaker, to convince them of their duty to God, and to invite them to believe his promise and its accomplishment. This paragraph contai…
The word "exalted" here doesn't just mean God made them great in number; it points to God elevating a people who were strangers and oppressed, revealing His power to lift the lowliest, not just bless the already distinguished. This shows that God's plan for Israel, and by extension for us, often begins with a humble starting point, where His strength is most clearly displayed.
In this synagogue sermon in Antioch, Paul begins by reminding his Jewish listeners of God's faithfulness throughout their history. He recounts how God chose their ancestors, elevated their descendants from vulnerability to strength during their time in Egypt, and powerfully led them out of slavery with an outstretched arm. This historical preamble sets the stage for Paul to connect God's past actions to His present work in Jesus.
In this synagogue sermon in Antioch, Paul begins by reminding his Jewish listeners of God's faithfulness throughout their history. He recounts how God chose their ancestors, elevated their descendants from vulnerability to strength during their time in Egypt, and powerfully led them out of slavery with an outstretched arm. This historical preamble sets the stage for Paul to connect God's past actions to His present work in Jesus.
"The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it." — The word "exalted" here doesn't just mean God made them great in number; it points to God elevating a people who were strangers and oppressed, revealing His power to lift the lowliest, not just bless…
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Last reviewed October 2026