Acts 3:13

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ¹  the God of our forefathers, ²  has glorified ³  his servant ⁴  Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected ⁵  in the presence of Pilate after he had decided ⁶  to release him.

Ex 3:6; Ps 2:6-12; Ps 105:6-10; Ps 110:1,2; Mt 11:27; Mt 22:32; Mt 27:2,17-25; Mt 28:18; Mr 15:11; Lu 23:16-23; Joh 3:35,36; Joh 5:22,23; Joh 7:39; Joh 12:16; Joh 13:31,32; Joh 16:14,15; Joh 17:1-5; Joh 18:40; Joh 19:15; Ac 2:23,24; Ac 2:33-36; Ac 5:30; Ac 5:31; Ac 7:32; Ac 13:27,28; Eph 1:20-23; Php 2:9-11; Heb 2:9; Heb 11:9-16; Re 1:5,18

¹ tc ‡ The repetition of ὁ θεός (Jo qeos, “God”) before the names of Isaac and Jacob is found in Ì⁷⁴ א C (A D without article) 36 104 1175 pc lat. The omission of the second and third ὁ θεός is supported by B E Ψ 33 1739 Ï pc. The other time that Exod 3:6 is quoted in Acts (7:32) the best witnesses also lack the repeated ὁ θεός, but the three other times this OT passage is quoted in the NT the full form, with the thrice-mentioned θεός, is used (Matt 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37). Scribes would be prone to conform the wording here to the LXX; the longer reading is thus most likely not authentic. NA²⁷ has the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.

² tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

sn The reference to the God of the patriarchs is a reminder that God is the God of the nation and of promises. The phrase God of our forefathers is from the Hebrew scriptures (Exod 3:6, 15-16; 4:5; see also the Jewish prayer known as “The Eighteen Benedictions”). Once again, event has led to explanation, or what is called the “sign and speech” pattern.

³ sn Has glorified. Jesus is alive, raised and active, as the healing illustrates so dramatically how God honors him.

⁴ sn His servant. The term servant has messianic connotations given the context of the promise, the note of suffering, and the titles and functions noted in vv. 14-15.

⁵ tn Or “denied,” “disowned.”

⁶ tn This genitive absolute construction could be understood as temporal (“when he had decided”) or concessive (“although he had decided”).