Acts 11:20

20 But there were some of them, Cypriot and Cyrenian men, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists,[a] [b] proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.

Acts 11:20 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 11:20

And some of them were men of Cyprus
That is, some of the preachers, that were scattered abroad, were Jews born at Cyprus: such was Barnabas particularly, ( Acts 4:36 ) though he was not among these, as appears from ( Acts 11:22 ) "and Cyrene"; such were Simon that carried the cross after Christ, and his sons Alexander and Rufus, ( Mark 15:21 ) and others that heard the apostles speak with tongues on the day of Pentecost, ( Acts 2:10 )

which when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians;
or Hellenist Jews, who were born and brought up in Greece, and spoke the Greek language; though the Alexandrian copy, and the Syriac version, read "Greeks", as if they were native Greeks, and properly Gentiles, to whom these ministers spoke the word of the Lord; but the former seems most likely.

Preaching the Lord Jesus;
the dignity of his person, as the Son of God; what he did and suffered to obtain salvation for lost sinners; his resurrection from the dead, ascension to heaven, and intercession; the virtue of his blood for peace and pardon of his sacrifice for atonement of sin, and of his righteousness for justification.

Acts 11:20 In-Context

18 When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, "So God has granted repentance resulting in life to even the Gentiles!"
19 Those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one except Jews.
20 But there were some of them, Cypriot and Cyrenian men, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
22 Then the report about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Other mss read Greeks
  • [b]. In this context, a non-Jewish person who spoke Gk
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