What Does Acts 13:7 Mean in the King James?
Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
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 verse’s hinge is that prudence becomes visible as an active search for God’s word.
THE MEANING
Discernment remains alive in you as a capacity to seek and hear God’s word. The word meets you as speech that can still be received, even where you hold responsibility or confidence. Being perceptive and being teachable belong together.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It dissolves the belief that discernment means having no need to listen further: here, the prudent mind is still seeking to hear.
THE ROOT
συνετός
synetos
GROWS FROM
συνίημι
syniēmi
Bring together; understand.
The word συνετός (synetos, “prudent”) belongs to the family of συνίημι (syniēmi, “understand, bring together”), so prudence carries the sense of grasping how things fit. Here that discernment appears in an active posture of seeking to hear God’s word.
ALSO GROWS
syniēmi: Understand, perceive; bring together.
συνίημι
It names the mental work behind “prudent”: receiving pieces in relationship.
synesis: Understanding, comprehension.
σύνεσις
This noun from the same family links discernment with the capacity to understand.
ἐπεζήτησεν
epezētēsen
GROWS FROM
ζητέω
zēteō
Seek; look for.
“desired to hear” in this verse is epezētēsen. The verb ἐπιζητέω (epizēteō, “seek earnestly”) is rendered “desired,” but its action is active seeking. The verse presents hearing as the object he pursues, so openness here is deliberate.
ALSO GROWS
zēteō: Seek, look for.
ζητέω
This is the base verb beneath the seeking in the verse.
ekzēteō: Seek out; search diligently.
ἐκζητέω
This related verb keeps the family’s sense of active pursuit.
λόγος
logos
GROWS FROM
λέγω
legō
Say; speak.
λόγος (logos, “word, message”) belongs to the family of λέγω (legō, “say, speak”). The verse presents God’s word as communicated speech sought in order to be heard.
ALSO GROWS
logos: Word, message, speech.
λόγος
This is the word in the verse: the message the discerning man seeks to hear.
logion: Saying; oracle.
λόγιον
This related term for an utterance keeps the family’s speech sense concrete.
THE PATTERN
Discernment opens toward hearing, and hearing is where the word becomes trust.
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.THE THREAD
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.Acts uses ἀκοῦσαι (akousai, “to hear”), while Romans uses ἀκοῆς (akoēs, “hearing”), forms from the same Greek root ἀκούω (akouō, “hear”). Romans names what the search in Acts opens toward: trust takes shape through hearing God’s message.
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