King James Version
Acts 9:31
31Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
Acts 9:31 in other versions
- New International Version (NIV)Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.
Context of Acts 9:31
29And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. 30Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. 32And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. 33And there he found a certain man named Eneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
Read all of Acts 9Acts 9:31 word by word
Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐκκλησία καθ᾽ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Γαλιλαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας εἶχεν εἰρήνην, οἰκοδομουμένη καὶ πορευομένη τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ τῇ παρακλήσει τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐπληθύνετο.¶Read the interlinear
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- the churchesἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
- restεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515
- throughoutκατάkata · according toG2596
- allὅλοςholos · allG3650
- JudeaἸουδαίαIoudaia · JudeaG2449
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- GalileeΓαλιλαίαGalilaia · GalileeG1056
- SamariaΣαμάρειαSamareia · SamariaG4540
- and were edifiedοἰκοδομέωoikodomeō · to buildG3618
- walkingπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
- in the fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
- of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- in the comfortπαράκλησιςparaklēsis · encouragementG3874
- of the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- were multipliedπληθύνωplēthunō · to multiplyG4129
- ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
Cross-references for Acts 9:31
- Acts 8:1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
- Deuteronomy 12:10But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;
- Joshua 21:44And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.
- Judges 3:30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
- 1 Chronicles 22:9Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
- Psalms 94:13That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
- Proverbs 16:7When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
- Isaiah 11:10And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
- Zechariah 9:1The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord.
- Hebrews 4:9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
- Romans 14:19Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
- 1 Corinthians 14:4He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
- 2 Corinthians 10:8For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
- 2 Corinthians 12:19Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
- 2 Corinthians 13:10Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.
Commentaries on Acts 9:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Then had the Churches rest - Instead of ̔ , the Churches, ABC, several others, the Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, and Vulgate, have ̔, the Church. Every assembly of God's people was a Church; the aggregate of these assemblies was The Church. The word, which we translate rest, and which literally signifies peace, evidently means, in this place, prosperity; and in this sense both it and the Hebrew שלום shalom are repeatedly used. But what was the cause…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Then had the churches rest - That is, the persecutions against Christians ceased. Those persecutions had been excited by the opposition made to Stephen Acts 11:19; they had been greatly promoted by Saul Acts 8:3; and they had extended doubtless throughout the whole land of Palestine. The precise causes of this cessation of the persecution are not known. Probably they were the following: (1) It is not improbable that the great mass of Christians had been…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-31Verses 23-31 When we enter into the way of God, we must look for trials; but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape. Though Saul's conversion was and is a proof of the truth of Christianity, yet it could not, of itself, convert one soul at enmity with the truth; for nothing can produce true faith, but that power which new-creates the heart. Believers are apt to be too suspicious of those against…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31This verse is one of several in Acts that describe how the church grew in numbers and in faithfulness (see also 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1, 7; 12:24; 21:20). The first Christians were learning an important truth: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” This means that true knowledge starts with honoring and respecting God (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; compare Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Ecclesiastes 12:13; see Luke 7:16). As they learned to honor God, they grew…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. Then had all the churches rest--rather, "the Church," according to the best manuscripts and versions. But this rest was owing not so much to the conversion of Saul, as probably to the Jews being engrossed with the emperor Caligula's attempt to have his own image set up in the temple of Jerusalem [Josephus, Antiquities, 18.8.1, &c.]. throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria--This incidental notice of distinct churches already dotting all the…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 9:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 9
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries