Bible Strands
Acts 3:13
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Peter addresses the Jerusalem crowd immediately after healing a lame man at the temple gate. He clarifies that the miracle originates from God rather than apostolic power.
The words — The phrase ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ literally translates to "the God of Abraham." Peter uses this covenant formula to identify the source of Jesus' glorification.
The thread — This covenant title recurs in Exodus 3:6, Acts 7:32, and Matthew 22:32 to anchor God's identity in the patriarchal promises. Each occurrence ties the living God directly to the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Why it lands — The text demands acknowledgment that Jesus' exaltation fulfills the God of the patriarchs, not human approval. Readers must confront their own complicity in rejecting the one Pilate was ready to release.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
Cross-references
- Matthew 22:32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
- Acts 7:32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
- Exodus 3:6 Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
- Matthew 27:17 So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
- Luke 23:16 Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
- John 18:40 “Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)
- John 19:12 From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”
- John 19:15 At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.
- Philippians 2:9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,
- Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.