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 the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” 19Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. 21The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. 22When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, 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, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome
• Acts 6:9But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia.
• Acts 13:1Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul.
• Matthew 27:32Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.
• Acts 6:1But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.
• Acts 9:29He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him.
• Acts 8:5Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.
• Acts 9:20And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
• Acts 17:18He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:23So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
• 1 Corinthians 2:2For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.
• Ephesians 3:8Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.

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