Acts 26:20

Webster's Bible (1833)

but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐν Δαμασκῷ πρῶτον, καὶ Ἱεροσολύμοις, εἰς πᾶσάν τε τὴν χώραν τῆς Ἰουδαίας, καὶ τοῖς Ἔθνεσιν, ἀπήγγελλον μετανοεῖν καὶ ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν, ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα πράσσοντας.

Transliteration

But to those in Damaskō prōton, and Hierosolymois, to all te the chōran of Ioudaias, and to the Ethnesin, I apēngellon to metanoein and to epistrephein to the Theon, worthy of the metanoias erga prassontas.

Grammar Details

• *Damaskō*: dative, feminine, singular - Damascus
• *prōton*: adverb - first
• *Hierosolymois*: dative, neuter, plural - Jerusalem
• *te*: conjunction - and/also
• *chōran*: accusative, feminine, singular - region/country
• *Ioudaias*: genitive, feminine, singular - Judea
• *Ethnesin*: dative, neuter, plural - Gentiles/nations
• *apēngellon*: imperfect active, 1st singular - I was proclaiming
• *metanoein*: present active infinitive - to repent
• *epistrephein*: present active infinitive - to turn
• *Theon*: accusative, masculine, singular - God
• *metanoias*: genitive, feminine, singular - repentance
• *erga*: accusative, neuter, plural - works/deeds
• *prassontas*: present active participle, accusative, masculine, plural - doing/practicing

Word Meanings

• *prōton*: first/firstly/at first
• *chōran*: region/country/land
• *Ethnesin*: Gentiles/nations/peoples
• *apēngellon*: I was proclaiming/declaring/announcing
• *metanoein*: to repent/to change one's mind
• *epistrephein*: to turn/to return/to convert
• *metanoias*: repentance/change of mind
• *erga*: works/deeds/actions
• *prassontas*: doing/practicing/performing

Referenced Verses

• Matt 3:8 : 8 Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!
• Acts 3:19 : 19 "Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,
• Acts 2:38 : 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• Matt 9:13 : 13 But you go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
• Acts 9:35 : 35 All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
• Acts 11:18 : 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!"
• Acts 11:26-30 : 26 When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. It happened, that for a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. 27 Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up, and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius. 29 As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; 30 which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
• Acts 13:46-48 : 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, 'I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, That you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'" 48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
• Acts 14:15-21 : 15 "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them; 16 who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he didn't leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you{TR reads "us" instead of "you"} rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." 18 Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them. 19 But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the Gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
• Acts 15:19 : 19 "Therefore my judgment is that we don't trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,
• Acts 17:30 : 30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,
• Acts 20:21 : 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.{TR adds "Christ"}
• Acts 22:17-22 : 17 "It happened that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, 18 and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.' 19 I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you. 20 When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.' 21 "He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.'" 22 They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, "Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn't fit to live!"
• Acts 26:17 : 17 delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
• Rom 2:4 : 4 Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
• Rom 11:18-20 : 18 don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in." 20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear;
• 2 Cor 3:16 : 16 But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
• 2 Cor 7:10 : 10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death.
• Eph 4:17-5:25 : 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts; 19 who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ that way; 21 if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. 25 Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members one of another. 26 "Be angry, and don't sin." Don't let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you. 1 Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. 3 But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks. 5 Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 7 Therefore don't be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10 proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12 For the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. 13 But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that is revealed is light. 14 Therefore he says, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." 15 Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore don't be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Don't be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and singing praises in your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; 21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. 22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. 24 But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;
• Eph 6:1-9 : 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with a promise: 3 "that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth." 4 You fathers, don't provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5 Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; 6 not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men; 8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is bound or free. 9 You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.
• 1 Thess 1:9 : 9 For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
• 2 Tim 2:25-26 : 25 in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may recover themselves out of the devil's snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.
• Titus 2:2-9 : 2 that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober-minded, sound in faith, in love, and in patience: 3 and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good; 4 that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God's word may not be blasphemed. 6 Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober-minded; 7 in all things showing yourself an example of good works; in your teaching showing integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility, 8 and soundness of speech that can't be condemned; that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us. 9 Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting; 10 not stealing, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things. 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ;
• 1 Pet 1:14-16 : 14 as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, 15 but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; 16 because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."
• 1 Pet 2:9-9 : 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10 who in time past were no people, but now are God's people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 having good behavior among the nations, so in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.
• 1 Pet 4:2-5 : 2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. 4 They think it is strange that you don't run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming: 5 who will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
• 2 Pet 1:5-8 : 5 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control patience; and in patience godliness; 7 and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Rev 2:5 : 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.
• Rev 2:21 : 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
• Rev 3:3 : 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If therefore you won't watch, I will come as a thief, and you won't know what hour I will come upon you.
• Rev 16:11 : 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They didn't repent of their works.
• Matt 21:30-32 : 30 He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, 'I go, sir,' but he didn't go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into the Kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn't believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn't even repent afterward, that you might believe him.
• Mark 6:12 : 12 They went out and preached that people should repent.
• Luke 1:16 : 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.
• Luke 3:8-9 : 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don't begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father;' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones! 9 Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn't bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire." 10 The multitudes asked him, "What then must we do?" 11 He answered them, "He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise." 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what must we do?" 13 He said to them, "Collect no more than that which is appointed to you." 14 Soldiers also asked him, saying, "What about us? What must we do?" He said to them, "Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages."
• Luke 13:3 : 3 I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.
• Luke 13:5 : 5 I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way."
• Luke 15:7 : 7 I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
• Luke 15:10 : 10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting."
• Luke 19:8-9 : 8 Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much." 9 Jesus said to him, "Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.
• Luke 24:46-47 : 46 He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
• Ps 22:27 : 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
• Isa 55:7 : 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
• Jer 31:19-20 : 19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I struck on my thigh: I was ashamed, yes, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, says Yahweh.
• Lam 3:40 : 40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.
• Ezek 18:30-32 : 30 Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, says the Lord Yahweh. Return you, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord Yahweh: therefore turn yourselves, and live.
• Hos 12:6 : 6 Therefore turn to your God. Keep kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually.
• Hos 14:2 : 2 Take words with you, and return to Yahweh. Tell him, "Forgive all our sins, And accept that which is good: So we offer like bulls our lips.
• Matt 3:2 : 2 "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"
• Acts 9:15 : 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.
• Acts 9:19-29 : 19 He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. 20 Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. 21 All who heard him were amazed, and said, "Isn't this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!" 22 But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ. 23 When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. 26 When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 He was with them entering into{TR and NU add "and going out"} Jerusalem, 29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and disputed against the Grecian Jews, but they were seeking to kill him.
• Matt 4:17 : 17 From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, "Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."