Discovery BoxActs 11:18-21 
Context11:18 When they heard this, 1 they ceased their objections 2 and praised 3 God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance 4 that leads to life even to the Gentiles.” 5
11:19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen 6 went as far as 7 Phoenicia, 8 Cyprus, 9 and Antioch, 10 speaking the message 11 to no one but Jews. 11:20 But there were some men from Cyprus 12 and Cyrene 13 among them who came 14 to Antioch 15 and began to speak to the Greeks 16 too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus. 11:21 The 17 hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed 18 turned 19 to the Lord.
1 tn Grk “these things.”
2 tn Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.
3 tn Or “glorified.”
4 sn Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7-42; 7:37-39).
5 sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.
6 sn The phrase over Stephen means in connection with Stephen’s death. See Acts 8:1b-3.
7 tn Or “finally reached.” The translations “went as far as” and “finally reached” for διῆλθον (dihlqon) in this verse are given in L&N 15.17.
8 sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.
9 tn Grk “and Cyprus,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
10 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). This was probably the third largest city in the Greco-Roman world (Alexandria in Egypt was the second largest, and Rome the largest) and was the seat of government in Syria. Five miles away was a major temple to Artemis, Apollo, and Astarte, major pagan deities.
map For location see JP1 F2; JP2 F2; JP3 F2; JP4 F2.
11 tn Grk “word.”
12 sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
13 sn Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.
14 tn Grk “among them, coming to Antioch began to speak.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
15 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
16 sn The statement that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene…began to speak to the Greeks shows that Peter’s experience of reaching out to the Gentiles was not unique.
17 tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
18 tn The participle πιστεύσας (pisteusa") is articular and thus cannot be adverbial. It is adjectival, modifying ἀριθμός (ariqmo"), but has been translated into English as a relative clause (“who believed”).
19 sn Again, the expression turned is a summary term for responding to the gospel.
