And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights God's incredible patience, especially considering most ancient manuscripts and respected translations suggest the Greek word used doesn't mean "put up with their bad behavior," but rather "nurtured them like a nursing father." This subtle shift reveals God's enduring, gentle care for His people, even through their challenging wilderness years.
And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is recounting Israel's history to the synagogue in Antioch, highlighting God's faithfulness through their generations. He reminds them that God led their ancestors out of Egypt and, despite their difficult behavior for forty years in the wilderness, patiently provided for and protected them. This sets the stage to show how God's care continued by sending Jesus.
Did God just 'put up with' Israel's grumbling and rebellion in the desert? Or was there something deeper happening?
The word used here in Greek is fascinating. While some manuscripts and translations lean towards 'suffered their manners' or 'put up with their ways,' many scholars point to a different, yet closely related, word. This alternative suggests God 'nursed' or 'carried' them, much like a parent carries a child.
This isn't about God ignoring their sin. The context of Paul's sermon in Acts 13 is to remind the Israelites of God's faithfulness, not to dwell on their failures. He's highlighting God's persistent grace, even when they were difficult.
Think about it: forty years is a long time for anyone to 'endure' bad behavior. But God's 'bearing with' them wasn't passive resignation; it was active, patient provision and guidance through their wilderness journey.
The wilderness was a harsh place, a desert of scarcity and danger. Why did God lead Israel there for so long?
This forty-year period wasn't just a detour; it was a crucial phase of God's plan. It was in the wilderness that God:
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Paul's mention of this time emphasizes that God was actively working throughout their journey, shaping them for the life He intended, even when they stumbled.
Understand the original words
erēmō · Greek Noun
A state of spiritual testing, isolation, or formation where God strips away reliance on worldly things to deepen dependence on Him. It is often portrayed as a place where the people learn obedience, experience God's provision, and endure discipline.
The phrase 'suffered he their manners' (or a closely related reading meaning 'he bore them like a nursing father') in Acts 13:18 directly refers to the forty-year period of the Israelites' wilderness wandering. This period is crucial because it showcases both God's incredible patience and provision for a rebellious people, as well as their persistent unfaithfulness, setting the stage for God's subsequent dealings with them.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, led by Moses, leave slavery in Egypt after God's mighty acts. This marks the beginning of their journey into the wilderness.
c. 1446-1406 BC— this verse
Forty Years in the Wilderness
The Israelites wander in the desert for approximately forty years due to their disobedience and lack of faith. During this time, God miraculously provides for them while also judging their rebellion.
c. 1406 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites finally enter and begin to conquer Canaan, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham. The generation that rebelled in the wilderness largely perishes before entering.
c. 1350-1070 BC
Period of the Judges
Following the conquest, Israel experiences cycles of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance through various judges. This period highlights their ongoing struggles with faithfulness.
This passage directly parallels the idea of God carrying Israel like a nurturing father, emphasizing His protective care during their wilderness journey.
Deuteronomy 1:31This verse is the likely source of Paul's allusion, explicitly stating God 'bore you, as a man bears his son, all the way that you went.'
Psalm 78:38-39This psalm highlights God's patience and forgiveness towards Israel's repeated rebellions in the wilderness, showing His longsuffering nature.
Isaiah 63:9This prophecy speaks of God's compassion and how He carried His people in all their affliction, echoing the theme of God's supportive presence.
Hebrews 3:10This New Testament passage uses the wilderness generation as a cautionary example of provocation, but implicitly acknowledges God's endurance of their actions over forty years.
barnesActs 13:18: "And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness."
And about the time of forty years - They were this time going from Egypt to the land of Canaan. Exodus 16:35 ; Numbers 33:38 . Suffered he their manners - This passage has been very variously rendered. See the margin. Syriac, "He nourished them," etc. Arabic, "He blessed them, and nourished them," etc. The Greek word is not elsewhere used in the New Testament. It properly means to tolerate, or endure th…
gillActs 13:18: "And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness."
And about the time of forty years,.... From their coming out of Egypt, to their entrance into the land of Canaan: suffered he their manners in the wilderness; which were very perverse and provoking; as their murmuring for water, their rebellion against Moses and Aaron, their idolatry and the ill report brought on the good land by their spies; and yet the Lord fed them, and led them, and kept them as the…
This verse highlights God's incredible patience, especially considering most ancient manuscripts and respected translations suggest the Greek word used doesn't mean "put up with their bad behavior," but rather "nurtured them like a nursing father." This subtle shift reveals God's enduring, gentle care for His people, even through their challenging wilderness years.
Paul is recounting Israel's history to the synagogue in Antioch, highlighting God's faithfulness through their generations. He reminds them that God led their ancestors out of Egypt and, despite their difficult behavior for forty years in the wilderness, patiently provided for and protected them. This sets the stage to show how God's care continued by sending Jesus.
Paul is recounting Israel's history to the synagogue in Antioch, highlighting God's faithfulness through their generations. He reminds them that God led their ancestors out of Egypt and, despite their difficult behavior for forty years in the wilderness, patiently provided for and protected them. This sets the stage to show how God's care continued by sending Jesus.
"And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness." — This verse highlights God's incredible patience, especially considering most ancient manuscripts and respected translations suggest the Greek word used doesn't mean "put up with their bad behavior,"…
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Last reviewed October 2026