• Acts 11:20
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 20 ῏Ησαν Were δέ but τινες some ἐξ out of αὐτῶν them ἄνδρες male persons Κύπριοι Cyprians καὶ and Κυρηναῖοι, Cyrenians, οἵτινες who ἐλθόντες having come εἰς into ᾿Αντιόχειαν Antioch ἐλάλουν were speaking καὶ also πρὸς toward τοὺς the Ἑλληνιστάς, Hellenists, εὐαγγελιζόμενοι declaring as good news τὸν the κύριον Lord Ἰησοῦν. Jesus.

  • Acts 11:20
    The Bible in Living English

    • 20 but there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they came to Antioch, spoke also to the Greek-speaking population, announcing the gospel of the Lord Jesus;

  • Acts 11:20
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 20 And there were some from among them, Cyprians and Cyrenians, who indeed coming unto Antioch began speaking even unto the Grecian Jews, announcing the glad-tidings as to the Lord Jesus;

  • Acts 11:20
    King James Version

    • 20 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.

  • Acts Study Notes—Chapter 11
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 11:20

      Antioch: This city was located in Syria on the river Orontes, some 32 km (20 mi) upstream from the Mediterranean seaport of Seleucia. By the first century C.E., Syrian Antioch ranked third in size and wealth among the cities of the Roman Empire, after Rome and Alexandria. It hosted a large and ancient Jewish community, and there was no great hostility between Jews and Gentiles at this time. Syrian Antioch apparently offered the right atmosphere for something new to take place​—the disciples were preaching not only to Jews but also to uncircumcised Gentiles. (See study note on the Greek-speaking people in this verse.) This Antioch should not be confused with Antioch in Pisidia in Asia Minor.​—See study notes on Ac 6:5; 13:14 and App. B13.

      the Greek-speaking people: Lit., “Hellenists.” The meaning of the Greek term used here (Hel·le·ni·stesʹ) has to be determined by the context. When used at Ac 6:1, it most likely means “Greek-speaking Jews.” (See study note on Ac 6:1.) This has led some scholars to conclude that the disciples in Syrian Antioch must have been preaching to circumcised Jews or proselytes who spoke Greek. However, what is described here apparently refers to a new development in Antioch. As mentioned at Ac 11:19, the preaching of God’s word in Antioch had previously been restricted to Jews only, but now the message was apparently spreading among the non-Jews living there. Barnabas was likely dispatched to Antioch to encourage these new disciples who communicated in Greek. (Ac 11:22, 23) Some ancient manuscripts use the word Helʹle·nas (meaning “Greeks”; see Ac 16:3) here instead of Hel·le·ni·stesʹ. So a number of translations use the terms “the Greeks” or “the Gentiles.” These terms would indicate that none of those spoken to in Antioch were adherents to the Jewish religion. It is possible, though, that both Jews and Gentiles familiar with the Greek language may have been referred to, and for that reason, the term “Greek-speaking people” is used in this translation. These Greek-speaking people may have come from various national backgrounds, but they adopted the Greek language and perhaps Greek customs.