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.
Parallel translations
- WEB But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.
- BSB But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
- 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.
- NASB But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, preaching the good news of the Lord Jesus.
- NLT However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Some believers from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching the Lord Jesus to Greeks in Antioch. The gospel deliberately crosses to Gentiles in a major city.
Overview
Unnamed believers take the bold step of proclaiming Jesus to Gentiles, paralleling and extending what happened with Cornelius. Antioch, a great cosmopolitan center, becomes the springboard for the wider Gentile mission. The verse shows ordinary scattered Christians, not only apostles, advancing the gospel across ethnic lines.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Matt 27:32And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
- Acts 13:1Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
- Acts 2:10Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
- 1 Cor 1:23–24But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
- Acts 6:9Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
- Eph 3:8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
- Acts 17:18Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
- Acts 5:42And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
- Acts 4:36And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
- Acts 8:35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
- Acts 8:5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
- John 7:35Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
- Acts 9:20And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
- 1 Cor 2:2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
- Acts 9:29And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 11:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.