What Does Acts 13:30 Mean in the King James?

But God raised him from the dead:

Acts 13:30 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The verb translated “raised” also means “wake,” so resurrection carries the sound of awakening from within death.

THE MEANING

God acts where death has taken hold: Jesus is raised from the dead. The verse speaks now by placing life’s decisive movement in God, while still naming death as real.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The belief that death has the final authority is undone: the verse names God as the one who raises from its midst.

THE ROOT

ἤγειρεν

ēgeiren

GROWS FROM

ἐγείρω

egeirō

to wake, rouse, raise up

“raised” in this verse is ēgeiren. English “raise” can sound like simple upward motion, but this verb also means to wake or rouse. That overlap makes Jesus’ resurrection sound like waking from death, while keeping the agency clear: God is the one who acts.

ALSO GROWS

awaken: rouse from sleep; wake

The same verb can describe waking a sleeper, so resurrection carries the language of awakening.

raise up: cause to rise or stand; bring back to life

Here God is the actor: Jesus is brought up from among the dead.

THE PATTERN

God’s life-giving action reaches into death and brings the dead into life.

The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

1 Samuel 2:6 · KJVThe verse holds death and life together as acts under God’s power, including bringing up from the grave.

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

John 5:21 · KJVLife comes to the dead through the Father’s raising and life-giving action.

And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

1 Corinthians 6:14 · KJVThe raising of Jesus opens onto God’s power to raise others as well.

THE THREAD

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Ephesians 5:14 · KJV

The verb translated “raised” here is the same verb rendered “Awake” in Ephesians 5:14, where waking is paired with “arise from the dead.” The shared verb lets resurrection echo the image of waking, a connection English renders with two different words.

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