New American Standard Bible 1995

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Acts

Note Journal Prayer

28

:

17

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After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, "Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
After with, among, after Prep H3326 μετὰ meta
Analysis:

 
three three Adj-AFP H5140 τρεῖς treis
Analysis:

Three: Purposes of God in: Testing, revealing, proving, documenting, victory and if applied to God, holiness

The number "three" is one of the most significant numbers in the Scriptures. Its primary purpose is for the sake of revealing or documenting something as fact (testing to validate something). It is also connected to the outcome of the will of God. One of the most famous occurrences for the number three is found in the book of Jonah, where Jonah is in the belly of the fish "three days and three nights."  A major aspect of the book of Jonah is that the prophet was fleeing from the presence of HaShem. Instead of Jonah going to Nineveh as God had commanded, the prophet desired not to obey this commandment, even if it meant that his relationship with God would be destroyed. HaShem decided to test to see if Jonah preferred to end his relationship with God rather than go to Nineveh. By placing Jonah in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, it would be revealed whether it was true that Jonah wanted to end his relationship with God over this commandment to go to Nineveh. It is most significant that immediately after (in the next verse) the reader is informed that Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.  What does Jonah do? The text states that Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from within the fish. Hence, the three days and three nights ultimately revealed, proved, or documented that what Jonah said he wanted was not true. One could also say that Jonah was tested for those three days and three nights and the test results showed that he did not want to end his relationship with God and in the end Jonah went to Nineveh.

In a similar manner, Peter rejects Yeshua's statement that he will deny Him. Therefore, Yeshua says to Peter that he will deny Him three times. These three denials prove, document, and reveal to the reader that Yeshua's statement was factual. It is not a coincidence that when Yeshua reinstated Peter after the resurrection, He asked him three times, "do you love Me?” In this context, Yeshua was testing the validity of Peter's statement. 

Yeshua also revealed that He, in a similar manner to Jonah being in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, would be in the belly of the earth three days and three nights and then rise from the dead. In this passage, the number three not only documents the fact that He died, but also the resurrection. It is also very significant that Yeshua rose on the third day.

The number three also relates to victory, as in the completion of God's purposes and plans. In the book of Genesis, one reads about the offering of Isaac. This passage has great theological significance and is one of the first passages which is read in the morning synagogue service each day. This section begins with HaShem commanding Abraham to offer his son as a burnt offering on one of the mountains in the land of Moriah. The climax of this portion of Scripture comes about on the third day. It was on the third day that HaShem provided the ram so that Isaac would live. In this passage, Isaac represents the promise (of God) which would have died (ended) had not HaShem acted. There is not a conflict between the two concepts for the number three of victory (the fulfillment of God’s will) and revelation or documentation. Often, it is the climax of what HaShem wants to do, which is simply being revealed or proved with the use of the number three.

Please note that when the number three is applied to God, then it can relate to holiness; whereas the number seven relates to holiness when this number is about man (see explanation for the number seven).

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016
days day N-AFP H2250 ἡμέρας ēmeras
Paul called together to call together V-ANM H4779 συγκαλέσασθαι sunkalesasthai
those the Art-GMP H3588 τοὺς tous
who were the leading men first, chief Adj-AMP H4413 πρώτους prōtous
of the Jews, Jewish, a Jew, Judea Adj-GMP H2453 Ἰουδαίων ioudaiōn
and when they came together, to come together, by ext. to accompany V-APA-GMP H4905 συνελθόντων sunelthontōn
he [began] saying to say H3004 ἔλεγεν elegen
to them, "Brethren, a man N-VMP H435 ἄνδρες andres
though I had done to make, do V-APA-NMS H4160 ποιήσας poiēsas
nothing no one, none Adj-ANS H3762 οὐδὲν ouden
against opposite, fig. hostile, opposed Adj-ANS H1727 ἐναντίον enantion
our people the people N-DMS H2992 λαῷ laō
or or, than Conj H2228 ἢ ē
the customs custom, a usage (prescribed by habit or law) N-DNP H1485 ἔθεσιν ethesin
of our fathers, of one's fathers, received from one's fathers Adj-DNP H3971 πατρῴοις patrōois
yet I was delivered to hand over, to give or deliver over, to betray V-AIP-1S H3860 παρεδόθην paredothēn
as a prisoner binding, bound N-NMS H1198 δέσμιος desmios
from Jerusalem Jerusalem, the capital of united Isr. and Judah N-GNP H2414 Ἱεροσολύμων ierosolumōn
Analysis:
Read more about: Jerusalem
into the hands the hand N-AFP H5495 χεῖρας cheiras
of the Romans. Roman Adj-GMP H4514 ῾Ρωμαίων rōmaiōn

Locations

Jerusalem

JERUSALEMje-roo'-sa-lem:I. THE NAME1. In Cuneiform2. In Hebrew3. In Greek and Latin4. The Meaning of Jerusalem5. Other NamesII. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS1. Geology2. Climate and Rainfall3. The Natural SpringsIII. THE NATURAL SITE1. The Mountains Around2. The Valleys3. The HillsIV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM1. Description of Josephus2. Summary of the... View Details

Parallel Verses

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New American Standard Bible 1995 After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, "Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
King James Bible After And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called together those who were the leading men chief of the Jews, Jews together: and when they came were come together, he began saying to said unto them, "Brethren, Men and brethren, though I had done have committed nothing against our people or the people, or customs of our fathers, yet I was I delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Berean Bible After And it came to pass after three days Paul days, he called together those who were the leading men being leaders of the Jews, and when they came Jews. And of them having come together, he began was saying to them, "Brethren, though I had “Men, brothers, having done nothing against our the people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem a prisoner into the hands of the Romans.Romans,
Hebrew Greek English After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, "Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.