What's really striking here is how Paul and Barnabas don't just announce they're leaving; they declare that the Jewish rejection itself is the act that makes them unworthy of eternal life. It's a powerful statement that their own stubbornness and opposition to God's message have essentially sealed their fate, like a court pronouncing its own sentence.
And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After boldly proclaiming the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia and seeing many Jews and Gentiles believe, Paul and Barnabas faced fierce opposition and rejection from the city's Jewish leaders. This rejection marked a turning point, prompting the apostles to declare that since the Jews had thrust aside God's message and judged themselves unworthy of eternal life, they would now turn their focus to the Gentiles who were eager to receive it. This shift fulfilled prophecy and Christ's commission to spread the gospel to all nations.
What happens when the message you carry is violently pushed away? Paul and Barnabas didn't shrink back; they spoke with even greater boldness.
When the apostles encountered fierce opposition from the Jewish leaders in Antioch, their response wasn't fear, but 'boldness.' This wasn't just loud speaking; it was a courageous, unashamed declaration of truth even when it was unwelcome.
A Holy Necessity
The necessity of speaking the Word of God first to the Jews was rooted in God's plan. Christ came to His people first, and His messengers were to follow that pattern. It was a divine mandate: offer the fulfillment of ancient promises to those who had awaited them.
Righteous Indignation
Paul and Barnabas’ boldness stemmed from a righteous indignation. They saw the willful rejection of God's offer of eternal life not as a mere disagreement, but as a self-condemnation. Their actions spoke volumes, declaring them unworthy of the very life they were being offered.
The apostles didn't just say the Jews rejected the message; they declared the Jews judged themselves unworthy. How does that happen?
The Jews in Antioch didn't explicitly say, 'We are unworthy of eternal life.' Instead, their actions—'thrusting the word aside'—were a clear, forceful rejection of God's offer. This rejection was interpreted by Paul and Barnabas as a self-inflicted verdict.
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Actions Speak Louder
When the message of eternal life is presented, and one actively pushes it away, that action itself serves as a judgment. It's not an external condemnation, but an internal one demonstrated by outward behavior. They declared their own unworthiness through their defiance.
A Missed Opportunity
This rejection wasn't just a passive refusal; it was an active 'thrusting away.' The word 'thrust' suggests a violent pushing off. This signifies a deliberate choice to not only ignore but to actively repel the very source of eternal life, thus severing their connection to it.
When one door closes, another opens. The rejection by the Jews triggered a dramatic shift in the apostles' mission.
The declaration, 'behold, we are turning to the Gentiles,' marks a pivotal moment in the early church. It signifies not an abandonment of the Jews, but a divinely ordained pivot in their evangelistic strategy.
A Grand Revolution
This turning was a 'grand point of time,' a significant revolution. It wasn't a retaliatory move but a fulfillment of God’s broader redemptive plan, echoing Jesus' earlier instructions to go to all nations.
Embracing the Nations
For the Gentiles, this meant a new and unprecedented opportunity to hear the Gospel and receive eternal life. While the Jews actively rejected it, the Gentiles were positioned to embrace it with joy, fulfilling the promise that through Abraham's seed, all nations would be blessed.
Understand the original words
logos tou Theou · Greek Noun
The Gospel message, the prophetic utterance, or the revelation of God's will and character as revealed in Scripture and ultimately in the person of Jesus Christ.
apotheo · Greek Verb
The quality of being rejected, pushed away, or repudiated; in a biblical context, it signifies the active refusal of God's grace or message by humans.
anaxios · Greek Adjective
The state of being undeserving or unfit; in this context, it refers to the human act of rejecting God's offer of salvation, thereby demonstrating one's own choice to remain separated from God.
aionios zoe · Greek Noun phrase
The unending existence in communion with God, initiated by faith in Jesus Christ, which transcends physical death and is the goal of the Christian hope.
ethnos · Greek Noun
All non-Jewish people or nations; those outside the covenant community of Israel who are now brought into the scope of God’s redemptive plan through Christ.
This verse marks a pivotal moment where the mission of the gospel formally shifts its primary focus from the Jewish people to the Gentiles, a direct consequence of sustained rejection by many Jewish leaders and a fulfillment of Jesus' own commission.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Ministry and Ascension
Jesus completes his earthly ministry, teaching and performing miracles. His death and resurrection fulfill Old Testament prophecies. He then ascends, commissioning his disciples to spread the gospel to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
c. 30-33 AD
Early Church in Jerusalem
The first believers, primarily Jewish, form the early church in Jerusalem. The gospel spreads rapidly among Jews in the city and surrounding regions.
c. 33-40 AD
Saul's Persecution and Conversion
Saul of Tarsus actively persecutes the early church. He has a dramatic encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus, leading to his conversion and transformation into the Apostle Paul.
c. 45-48 AD
First Missionary Journey Begins
Barnabas and Paul embark on their first major missionary journey, taking John Mark with them. They travel through Cyprus and Asia Minor, establishing churches and encountering both receptive audiences and opposition.
c. 48 AD— this verse
Rejection in Pisidian Antioch
In the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch, Paul preaches a powerful sermon on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. While many Gentiles are eager to hear more, the local Jewish leaders, filled with jealousy, reject the message and expel Paul and Barnabas.
c. 48 AD
Turning to the Gentiles
Following the rejection in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas boldly declare that since the Jews have judged themselves unworthy of eternal life, they will now focus their ministry on the Gentiles, fulfilling Jesus' commission.
c. 49 AD
Council of Jerusalem
A significant council is held in Jerusalem to address the issue of Gentile inclusion. The apostles and elders confirm that Gentiles do not need to follow Jewish law to become followers of Christ, affirming the path of faith.
This passage highlights Jesus' initial command to his disciples to preach the word of God specifically 'first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' echoing the necessity Paul and Barnabas felt in Acts 13:46.
Luke 24:47Jesus' post-resurrection instruction that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed 'in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem' reinforces the 'first to you' principle Paul and Barnabas followed.
Romans 1:16Paul's declaration that the gospel is 'the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek' directly aligns with the strategy and rationale Paul and Barnabas employed in Antioch.
Isaiah 49:6The prophecy that the Messiah would be 'a light to the Gentiles' and 'for salvation to the ends of the earth' foreshadows the turning to the Gentiles when the message was rejected by the Jewish leaders, as seen in Acts 13:46.
Matthew 22:8-9The parable of the wedding feast, where those initially invited were 'not worthy' and others were called in from the streets, mirrors the theme of judgment and the redirection of God's offer of eternal life when the first recipients reject it.
ellicottActs 13:46: "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."
(46) It was necessary. —The preachers recognised the necessity of following what they looked on as the divine plan in the education of mankind, and so they preached “to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile” ( Romans 2:9-10 ). The former were offered,…
bensonActs 13:46: "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."
Acts 13:46-47 . Then Paul and Barnabas — Perceiving that no good impression could be made upon them; waxed bold — Used great freedom of speech; and said, It was necessary — According to the general instructions of our Divine Master; that the word of God…
What's really striking here is how Paul and Barnabas don't just announce they're leaving; they declare that the Jewish rejection itself is the act that makes them unworthy of eternal life. It's a powerful statement that their own stubbornness and opposition to God's message have essentially sealed their fate, like a court pronouncing its own sentence.
After boldly proclaiming the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia and seeing many Jews and Gentiles believe, Paul and Barnabas faced fierce opposition and rejection from the city's Jewish leaders. This rejection marked a turning point, prompting the apostles to declare that since the Jews had thrust aside God's message and judged themselves unworthy of eternal life, they would now turn their focus to the Gentiles who were eager to receive it. This shift fulfilled prophecy and Christ's commission to spread the gospel to all nations.
After boldly proclaiming the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia and seeing many Jews and Gentiles believe, Paul and Barnabas faced fierce opposition and rejection from the city's Jewish leaders. This rejection marked a turning point, prompting the apostles to declare that since the Jews had thrust aside God's message and judged themselves unworthy of eternal life, they would now turn their focus to the Gentiles who were eager to receive it. This shift fulfilled prophecy and Christ's commission to spread the gospel to all nations.
"And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles." — What's really striking here is how Paul and Barnabas don't just announce they're leaving; they declare that the Jewish rejection itself is the act that makes them unworthy of eternal life. It's a p…
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Last reviewed October 2026
