And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This wasn't just a brief chat after the service; Paul and Barnabas continued speaking and persuading throughout the week, likely after their own daily work was done. They weren't just encouraging people to stay saved, but to hold onto the profound state of being in God's grace, a truth they'd just heard declared.
And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the synagogue service ended, many Jewish attendees and devout Gentile converts sought out Paul and Barnabas. The apostles then spent time with these inquirers, encouraging them to remain steadfast in the grace of God they had just heard about. This private conversation happened after the public sermon and was likely extended, possibly over the following week.
Imagine the buzz after the synagogue service! Many didn't just leave; they followed Paul and Barnabas, eager for more. Who were these people, and what did 'devout' really mean for them?
The verse mentions "many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism" who followed the apostles.
Who Were These Seekers?
Why Did They Follow?
They were clearly moved by Paul's message. The fact that they sought out Paul and Barnabas suggests a deep hunger for truth and a recognition that what they heard was profoundly significant. They weren't passive listeners; they were active seekers.
After a powerful sermon and a crowd seeking more, Paul and Barnabas didn't just say 'good job.' They urged them to continue in something vital. What is this 'grace of God' they were told to hold onto?
The apostles' response to these eager followers was not just a pat on the back, but a crucial exhortation: "urged them to continue in the grace of God."
Ask a follow-up
What is the "Grace of God"?
This isn't just about God being nice; it's about His unmerited favor and the transformative power that comes from Him. In this context, it refers to:
Why the Urgency?
Scholars suggest trials were likely ahead (as they indeed were!). These new seekers needed to understand that their journey of faith wasn't a one-time event but a continuous reliance on God's power and favor. It’s about staying rooted in the truth they had just begun to embrace.
Understand the original words
synagōgēs · Greek Noun
A Jewish place of assembly used for prayer, reading of the Scriptures, and teaching. It served as the central community hub for Jewish life and worship outside the Temple.
chariti · Greek Noun
God’s unmerited favor and enabling power toward humanity. It is the basis of salvation and the ongoing strength provided by God for the believer's life and perseverance.
This moment captures the immediate aftermath of Paul's initial breakthrough preaching in a new city. The 'devout converts' represent a crucial bridge audience – Gentiles already drawn to Judaism, now finding fulfillment in Christ through Paul's message.
c. 45-46 AD
First Missionary Journey Begins
Paul and Barnabas embark on their first major mission, traveling through Cyprus and southern Asia Minor, establishing churches and sharing the Gospel.
c. 47-49 AD— this verse
Ministry in Antioch of Pisidia
Paul and Barnabas preach powerfully in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, leading many Jews and devout Gentiles to faith, but also facing opposition from unbelieving Jews.
c. 49 AD
Council of Jerusalem Convened
A major dispute about the inclusion of Gentiles in the church leads to a council in Jerusalem to settle crucial questions of doctrine and practice.
c. 50-52 AD
Second Missionary Journey
Paul, with Silas, travels again through Asia Minor and into Greece, strengthening churches and facing new challenges.
This passage directly echoes the exhortation in Acts 13:43, warning believers that they have been severed from Christ if they attempt to be justified by the law, implying that continuing in God's grace means holding fast to the Gospel of salvation by faith.
1 Peter 5:12Peter speaks of the 'true grace of God' in which believers stand, aligning with Paul and Barnabas' encouragement to continue in that same grace, highlighting its foundational and enduring nature in the Christian life.
Acts 11:23Similar to how Barnabas encouraged the believers in Antioch to remain steadfast in the Lord, this passage shows a pattern of apostolic ministry where converts were exhorted to persevere in their newfound faith and God's grace.
Hebrews 12:15This verse warns against 'falling short of the grace of God,' underscoring the importance of Paul and Barnabas' plea for the new followers to 'continue in the grace of God' and not neglect this precious gift.
ellicottActs 13:43: "Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."
(43) When the congregation was broken up. —Better, as keeping to the usual rendering, the synagogue. The two preachers withdrew to their inn or lodging, and were followed by many of both classes of their hearers—not, as the Received text of Acts 13:42 implies, by one only. It is probable, looking to St…
gillActs 13:43: "Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."
Now when the congregation was broken up,.... Or "the synagogue"; not the place, but the people that met in it; when they were "dismissed", as the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions render it; either in a disorderly manner, through the offence the Jews took at Paul's preaching; or if in an orderly way, t…
This wasn't just a brief chat after the service; Paul and Barnabas continued speaking and persuading throughout the week, likely after their own daily work was done. They weren't just encouraging people to stay saved, but to hold onto the profound state of being in God's grace, a truth they'd just heard declared.
After the synagogue service ended, many Jewish attendees and devout Gentile converts sought out Paul and Barnabas. The apostles then spent time with these inquirers, encouraging them to remain steadfast in the grace of God they had just heard about. This private conversation happened after the public sermon and was likely extended, possibly over the following week.
After the synagogue service ended, many Jewish attendees and devout Gentile converts sought out Paul and Barnabas. The apostles then spent time with these inquirers, encouraging them to remain steadfast in the grace of God they had just heard about. This private conversation happened after the public sermon and was likely extended, possibly over the following week.
"And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God." — This wasn't just a brief chat after the service; Paul and Barnabas continued speaking and persuading throughout the week, likely after their own daily work was done. They weren't just encouraging peo…
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Last reviewed October 2026