Bible Commentaries
Acts 11

Verse 1

And = Now.

apostles . App-189 .

in = throughout. Greek. kata. App-104 .

Gentiles . Greek. ethnos, as in Acts 10:45 .

had . Omit.

word . Greek. logos. App-121 .

Verse 2

they, &c . See note on Acts 10:45 .

contended = were contending. Greek. diakrino. App-122 .

with = against. Greek. pros. App-104 .

Verse 3

eat with . Greek. sunesthio, as in Acts 10:41 .

Verse 4

rehearsed . . . from the beginning, and = having begun.

expounded = set forth. Greek. ektithemi. See note on Acts 7:21 .

by order = in order. Greek. kathexes. See note on Acts 3:24 .

unto = to.

Verse 5

praying . Greek. proseuchomai. App-134 .

trance . Greek. ekstasis. See Acts 10:10 .

saw . Greek. eidon. App-133 .

vision = sight. Greek. horama. See note on Acts 7:31 .

certain . Greek. tis. App-123 .

sheet . Greek. othone, as in Acts 10:11 .

let down = sent down, as in Acts 10:11 .

from = out of. Greek. ek. App-104 .

heaven = the heaven. See Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .

even to = as far as to. Greek. achris.

Verse 6

Upon = Unto. Greek. eis. App-104 .

when I had . . . eyes = having gazed. Greek. atenizo. App-133 . See note on Acts 1:10 .

considered . Greek. katanoeo. App-133 .

fourfooted beasts . Greek. tetrapous, as in Acts 10:12 .

earth . Greek. ge. App-129 .

wild beasts . Greek. therion. Omitted in Acts 10:12 .

creeping things . Greek. herpeton. See Acts 10:12 .

air = heaven.

Verse 7

arise . Greek. anistemi. App-178 .

slay . Greek. thuo, as in Acts 10:13 .

Verse 8

Not so = By no means. Greek. medamos.

nothing, &c , never at any time (Greek. oudepote) came anything common, &c.

Verse 9

the = a.

answered . Greek. apokrinomai. App-122 .

me . Omit.

again . Literally from (Greek. ek. App-104 .) a second (time).

call = make.

Verse 10

was done = came to pass.

three times . Literally upon (Greek. epi. App-104 . ix) thrice.

drawn up . Greek. anaspao. Only here and Luke 14:5 . Compare Acts 20:30 .

Verse 11

immediately . Greek. exautes, as in Acts 10:33 .

were . . . come = stood before.

already . Omit.

unto = at. Greek. epi. App-104 .

where = in which.

sent . Greek. apostello. App-174 .

Caesarea . See note on Acts 8:40 .

Verse 12

the spirit . The angel of Acts 10:3 .

nothing . Greek. mideis.

doubting . Greek. diakrino. App-122 .

accompanied = came with (Greek. sun. App-104 . xvi).

Verse 13

shewed = announced. Greek. apangello. Same as "report", Acts 4:23 , and "tell", Acts 5:22 , Acts 5:25 .

an = the.

which stood and said = standing and saying.

unto him . Omit.

men . All the texts omit.

call for = send for. Greek. metapempo. App-174 .

whose surname is = who is surnamed.

Verse 14

tell thee = speak (Greek. laleo. App-121 .) to (Greek. pros.) thee.

words . Greek. rhema. See note on Mark 9:32 .

whereby = by (Greek. en.) which.

Verse 15

as I began . Literally in (Greek. en) my beginning.

speak . Greek. laleo, as in Acts 11:14 (tell).

the Holy Ghost . App-101 .

on = upon. Greek. epi. App-104 .

as, &c . = even as on us also.

at the beginning = in (Greek. en) the beginning. Compare Acts 2:4 and John 1:1 .

Verse 16

baptized . App-115 .

baptized . App-115 .

the Holy Ghost . No art. App-101 .

Verse 17

Forasmuch then = If ( App-118 ) therefore.

gift . Greek. dorea. Compare Acts 2:38 and John 4:10 .

us = us also.

who = when we.

believed . App-150 .

Jesus Christ . App-98 .

could = was able to.

withstand = hinder.

Verse 18

When they heard = Now, having heard.

held their peace = ceased, as in Acts 21:14 . See Luke 14:4 ; Luke 23:56 . 1 Thessalonians 4:11 .

also to the Gentiles = to the Gentiles also. This and Acts 11:3 shows that Cornelius was not a proselyte.

granted = given.

repentance . Greek. metanoia. App-111 .

unto . Greek. eis. App-104 .

life . Greek. zoe. App-170 .

Verse 19

Wow they = They in deed therefore.

scattered abroad . Greek. diaspeiro. See note on Acts 8:1 .

upon = from. Greek. apo.

persecution . Greek. thlipsis. See note on Acts 7:10 .

arose = came to pass.

about = over, or upon. Greek. epi. App-104 .

Antioch . The capital of Syria, about sixteen miles from the sea. Seleucia was its port.

preaching = speaking. Greek. laleo, as in verses: Acts 11:14 , Acts 11:15 .

none = no one. Greek. medeis.

but = except. Greek. ei me .

Jews = Seed of Abraham.

Verse 20

some . Greek. tis. App-123 .

of Cyprus, &c. Cypriotes and Cyrenians.

Grecians . See note on Acts 6:1 . Most texts read Hellenes, Greeks. There was nothing strange in speaking to the Greek-speaking Jews.

preaching . Greek. euangelizo. App-121 .

Verse 21

believed, and = having believed. App-150 .

Verse 22

tidings = the report, or word. Greek. logos. App-121 .

of = concerning. Greek. peri

came = was heard.

church . App-186 .

sent forth . Greek. exapostello. App-171 .

Barnabas . He was himself of Cyprus. Compare Acts 4:36 , and see Acts 11:20 .

that he should go . The texts omit.

as far as . Greek. heos.

Verse 23

when he came and had = having come, and.

grace . App-184 .

exhorted = was exhorting. Greek. parakaleo. App-134 .:6. Compare Acts 4:36 .

purpose . Greek. prothesis, that which is put before one. The Eng. word is from the Latin propositum, which exactly corresponds to the Greek. The word is used of the shewbread, i.e. the bread of presentation, in Matthew 12:4 .Mark 2:26 . Luke 6:4 .Hebrews 9:2 . In its seven other occurances it is rendered as here.

cleave unto = abide with, Greek. prosmeno. Here, Acts 18:18 . Matthew 15:32 . Mar 8:2 . 1 Timothy 1:3 ; 1 Timothy 5:5 .

Verse 24

faith . App-150 .

people . Greek. ochlos. Literally crowd.

Verse 25

for to seek . Literally to seek up and down. Greek. anazeteo. Here, Luke 2:44 .

Verse 26

when he had = having.

it came to pass . The three clauses which follow are all dependent on "it came to pass".

And = And that.

called . Greek. chrematizo. This word occurs nine times. See note on Luke 2:26 . Generally of a Divine communication. The noun chrematismos Occurs only in Romans 11:4 . Though the name may have been given at first by Gentiles in mockery, the usage of the word by the Holy Spirit indicates that its real origin was Divine.

Christians . Here, Act 26:28 . 1 Peter 4:16 . Compare Acts 15:17 . Jews could not have given the name, as Christos was a sacred word.

Verse 27

came = came down.

prophets . App-189 .

Verse 28

stood up . Greek. anistemi. App-178 .

named = by name.

Agabus . Compare Acts 21:10 .

by = through. Greek. dia. App-104 .Acts 11:1 .

the Spirit . The article shows that this was the Holy Spirit ( App-101 .), speaking through Agabus. Compare Acts 21:11 .

should be = was about to be.

dearth . Greek. limos. Occurs twelve times. Compare Acts 7:11 . Elsewhere translated "hunger" or "famine".

throughout = over. Greek. epi. App-104 .

world . Greek. oikoumene. App-129 .

in the days of . Greek. epi. App-104 . A Greek. idiom.

Claudius Caesar . The fourth Roman Emperor (A D. 41-54). Roman historians mention several famines during his reign. See also Josephus, Antiquities XX. iii. 6.

Verse 29

Then, &c . Literally But as any one (Greek. tis) of the disciples prospered (Greek. euporeomai. Only here), they determined, each one of them.

determined . Greek horizo. See note on Acts 2:23 .

send . Greek. pempo. App-174 .

relief = for (Greek. eis. App-104 .) ministration. Greek. diakonia. App-190 .

dwelt . See note on Acts 2:5 .

Verse 30

also they did = they did also.

and sent = sending.

elders . Greek. presbuteros. This is the first time we meet with elders in the Christian churches. App-189 . Here elders included the Apostles. Compare Act 8:1 . 1 Peter 5:1 .