Acts 11:20

By Don Costello

Acts 11:20

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.

a. Grecians [1675 * Hellenistes] [Zodhiates: a Jew by birth or religion who speaks Greek, used chiefly of foreign Jews”

1). The Book of Acts, Stanley M. Horton, p140, Note 4.: “Many ancient manuscripts have the word here for “Greek speakers” which is sometimes used for Greek speaking Jews, but in the context it clearly means Greek-speaking Gentiles.”

2). The Robert E. Tourville, p.217. “Some believers were so zealous for Christ that they could not limit their witness to Jews alone. These were from Cyprus and Cyrene. They “began speaking to the Greeks (Hellenas) also.” There are variants to this reading among the MSS but this is doubtless the correct text from manuscript evidence; also because the text would be pointless if these believers spoke to Greek-speaking Jews (hellenistas, 6:1). It is evident that this witnessing was a departure from the “Jews only” of the preceeding verse.” (more…)