Acts 13:29

ESV And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

NIV When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.

NASB When they had carried out everything that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

CSB When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb.

NLT When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb.

KJV And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

NKJV Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.

What does Acts 13:29 mean?

Paul is explaining to the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch how Jesus fits into God's continual plan of salvation for His people. We tend to think of "salvation" in terms of God forgiving our sins and living with us for eternity in heaven. In the Bible, "salvation" generally means "being saved." So, when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, provided for them in the wilderness, and sent judges and kings to save them from their enemies, He was giving them salvation (Acts 13:17–22).

God also promised an ultimate Savior through the prophecies of David and John the Baptist (Acts 13:23–25), not to mention many others (Acts 13:27). The priests, scribes, and elders who made up the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, had opportunity to hear the prophets read at least once a week. But instead of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah in those prophecies, they fulfilled the prophecies by killing Him.

The first "they" is the Sanhedrin who orchestrated Jesus' death and Pilate who ordered it. Jesus' crucifixion fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, including:

Pierced for transgressions: Isaiah 53:5; John 20:25
Died with wicked: Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:38
Buried in a rich man's tomb: Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57–60
Lots cast for clothing: Psalm 22:18; John 19:24

In the idiom of that era, a "tree" was any kind of upright piece of wood, certainly including the vertical part of a cross. According to Deuteronomy 21:23, someone who hanged, as on a tree, was cursed by God and needed to be removed before nightfall. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, the second "they," made sure Jesus was removed and buried (John 19:38–40).

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Context Summary
Acts 13:16–41 gives the transcript of Paul's message in Pisidian Antioch. It is the only recording of Paul's many synagogue sermons. Paul's message can be broken into five parts, each identified with a call to heed Paul's words: 1. God's saving work in Israel's history and promise of a future Savior (Acts 13:16–25); 2. The Savior's story (Acts 13:26–31); 3. The prophecies of the Savior (Acts 13:32–37); 4. The nature of ''salvation'' (Acts 13:38–39); 5. A warning to accept the Savior (Acts 13:40–41). Some Jews and many Gentiles do accept the message, but the synagogue leaders drive Paul and Barnabas out of town (Acts 13:42–51).

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Chapter Summary
Acts 13 transitions Luke's account (Acts 1:1) fully into a record of Paul's ministry to spread the news about Jesus. The Holy Spirit calls Paul and Barnabas for their first missionary journey. They teach about Jesus' offer of forgiveness of sins on the island of Cyprus and in the district of Pisidia in modern-day south-central Asia Minor. Along the way, they face opposition, desertion, and persecution: themes that will follow Paul throughout his life. But they also experience the joy of watching the people they'd least expect come to a saving faith in Jesus.

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