Acts 11:20

Acts 11:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
• New International Version (NIV)Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Context of Acts 11:20

18When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified and praised God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance that leads to eternal life [that is, real life after earthly death].” 19So then [since they were unaware of these developments] those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with [the stoning of] Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, without telling the message [of salvation through Christ] to anyone except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming [to them] the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21And the hand (the power and presence) of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord [for salvation, accepting and drawing near to Jesus as Messiah and Savior]. 22The news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

Acts 11:20 word by word

Ἦσαν δέ τινες ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες Κύπριοι καὶ Κυρηναῖοι, οἵτινες ἐλθόντες εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν ἐλάλουν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστὰς εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• someτιςtis · oneG5100
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• menἀνήρanēr · manG435
• of CyprusΚύπριοςKuprios · CyprusG2953
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• CyreneΚυρηναῖοςKurēnaios · CyreneG2956
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• when they were comeεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• AntiochἈντιόχειαAntiocheia · AntiochG490
• spakeλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• the Greciansὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the GreciansἙλληνιστήςHellēnistēs · HellenistG1675
• preachingεὐαγγελίζομαιeuaggelizō · to speak good newsG2097
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424

Cross-references for Acts 11:20

• Acts 2:10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism),
• Acts 6:9However, some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (freed Jewish slaves), both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and [the province of] Asia, rose up and questioned and argued with Stephen.
• Acts 13:1Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets [who spoke a new message of God to the people] and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod [Antipas] the tetrarch, and Saul.
• Matthew 27:32Now as they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced into service to carry the cross of Jesus.
• Acts 6:1Now about this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint was made by the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) against the [native] Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.
• Acts 9:29He was talking and arguing with the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews); but they were attempting to kill him.
• Acts 8:5Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them.
• Acts 9:20And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This Man is the Son of God [the promised Messiah]!”
• Acts 17:18And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to engage in conversation with him. And some said, “What could this idle babbler [with his eclectic, scrap-heap learning] have in mind to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities”—because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
• 1 Corinthians 1:23but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense],
• 1 Corinthians 2:2for I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection].
• Ephesians 3:8To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand],

Commentaries on Acts 11:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Men of - Cyrene - The metropolis of the Cyrenaica; a country of Africa, bounded on the east by Marmarica, on the west by the Regio Syrtica, on the north by the Mediterranean, and on the south by the Sahara. Cyrene is now called Cairoan. This city, according to Eusebius, was built in the 37th Olympiad, about 630 years before Christ. In consequence of a revolt of its inhabitants, it was destroyed by the Romans; but they afterwards rebuilt it. It was for a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Were men of Cyprus and Cyrene - Were natives of Cyprus and Cyrene. Cyrene was a province and city of Libya in Africa. It is at present called Cairoan, and is situated in the kingdom of Barca. In Cyprus the Greek language was spoken; and from the vicinity of Cyrene to Alexandria, it is probable that the Greek language was spoken there also. From this circumstance it might have happened that they were led more particularly to address the Grecians who were…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-24Verses 19-24 The first preachers of the gospel at Antioch, were dispersed from Jerusalem by persecution; thus what was meant to hurt the church, was made to work for its good. The wrath of man is made to praise God. What should the ministers of Christ preach, but Christ? Christ, and him crucified? Christ, and him glorified? And their preaching was accompanied with the Divine power. The hand of the Lord was with them, to bring that home to the hearts and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Jewish Christians from Cyprus and Cyrene made the first organized effort to teach Gentiles about Jesus.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene--(see on Lu 23:26); as Lucius, mentioned in Ac 13:1. spake unto the Grecians--rather, "the Greeks," that is, uncircumcised Gentiles (as the true reading beyond doubt is). The Gospel had, from the first, been preached to "the Grecians" or Greek-speaking Jews, and these "men of Cyprus and Cyrene" were themselves "Grecians." How, then, can we suppose that the historian would note, as something new and singular…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 11:20

• Antioch
• Cyprus
• Cyrene
• Jerusalem
• Persecution
• Revivals
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Antioch
• Cyprus
• Cyrene
• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Arise
• Contend
• Greek
• Mark, Gospel according to
• Rehearse

Commentaries on Acts 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings