• Acts 13:48
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 48 ᾿Ακούοντα Hearing δὲ but τὰ the ἔθνη nations ἔχαιρον were rejoicing καὶ and ἐδόξαζον they were glorifying τὸν the λόγον word τοῦ of the θεοῦ, God, καὶ and ἐπίστευσαν believed ὅσοι as many as ἦσαν were τεταγμένοι having been disposed εἰς into ζωὴν life αἰώνιον· everlasting;

  • Acts 13:48
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 48 And they of the nations hearing [this] began to rejoice and to be glorifying God, and they believed—as many as had become disposed for life age-abiding.

  • Acts 13:48
    King James Version

    • 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

  • Acts Study Notes—Chapter 13
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 13:48

      the word of Jehovah: See study note on Ac 8:25 and App. C3 introduction; Ac 13:48.

      were rightly disposed for: This expression describes certain Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch who became believers after hearing Paul and Barnabas preach. The Greek word here rendered “were rightly disposed for” (a form of the verb tasʹso) has a wide range of meaning, including “to set; to position; to arrange; to appoint.” The context helps to determine the intended meaning. Ac 13:46 contrasts certain Jews of Pisidian Antioch with the Gentiles mentioned here in verse 48. On the preceding Sabbath, Paul had given both groups a thorough witness by means of a stirring public discourse. (Ac 13:16-41) According to Paul and Barnabas, the Jews stubbornly rejected “the word of God” and showed by their attitude and actions that they did not “judge [themselves] worthy of everlasting life.” (Ac 13:46) The Gentiles in that city, however, showed a very different attitude. The account says that they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah. So in this context, the Greek verb tasʹso conveys the idea that these non-Jews in Antioch “put themselves in a position for” gaining life by showing an attitude, inclination, or disposition that could result in their gaining everlasting life. So the Greek term is appropriately rendered “were rightly disposed for.” Many Bible translations, though, render Ac 13:48 with such expressions as “were destined for; were appointed for,” which could give the impression that these people were predestined by God to gain life. However, neither the immediate context nor the rest of the Bible supports the idea that these Gentiles in Antioch were predestined to gain life, any more than the Jews there were predestined not to gain everlasting life. Paul tried to persuade the Jews to accept the good news, but they made a conscious choice to reject the message. They were not predestined to do so. Jesus explained that some would show by their actions that they are not “well-suited for the Kingdom of God.” (Lu 9:62) By contrast, these Gentiles in Antioch were among those whom Jesus said would show by their attitude that they are “deserving” of the good news.​—Mt 10:11, 13.