Acts 11 21

Acts 11:21 kjv

And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

Acts 11:21 nkjv

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

Acts 11:21 niv

The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Acts 11:21 esv

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

Acts 11:21 nlt

The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

Acts 11 verses

Acts 11 21 Meaning

Acts 11:21 describes the powerful effect of the Gospel preached by disciples in Antioch to Gentiles, demonstrating God's active involvement in the expansion of His kingdom. It highlights divine enablement through "the hand of the Lord" and a significant human response, resulting in a large number of people believing and turning to Jesus Christ. This verse marks a pivotal moment, affirming the universal reach of God's salvation beyond Jewish boundaries and signaling a new phase in the early Church's mission.

Acts 11 21 Context

Acts 11 builds upon the previous chapter where Peter was guided by God to preach the Gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile, marking a profound shift from exclusively Jewish evangelism to inclusive Gentile outreach. Verses 1-18 recount Peter defending his actions to the Jerusalem believers, ultimately affirming that God has "granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."

Immediately preceding Acts 11:21, verses 19-20 describe believers scattered from Jerusalem due to the persecution following Stephen's martyrdom (Acts 8:1). Some of these disciples traveled to Antioch, a significant cosmopolitan city. Initially, they spoke the word only to Jews. However, some from Cyprus and Cyrene began to preach the good news of the Lord Jesus directly to the "Hellenists" (meaning Greek-speaking Gentiles) in Antioch, crossing a monumental social and theological boundary within Judaism. Verse 21 then details the astonishing and direct result of this daring step: divine empowerment leading to widespread conversion, validating the Gentile mission. This success soon prompts the Jerusalem church to send Barnabas, who then fetches Saul (Paul) to labor in this fertile ground, leading to the establishment of a strong missionary base and the coining of the term "Christians."

Historically, Antioch was a crucial center, the third-largest city in the Roman Empire. Its diverse population, including many Gentiles and a significant Jewish community, made it an ideal location for the expansion of the Gospel beyond its original Jewish roots.

Acts 11 21 Word analysis

• And (kai, καὶ): Connects the previous statement (preaching to Hellenists in Antioch) directly to its result. It emphasizes a causal link, showing the direct consequence of the evangelism.
• the hand (cheir, χεῖρ): Figuratively represents power, authority, agency, and direct intervention. In the Septuagint and New Testament, "the hand of the Lord" consistently denotes divine enablement, protection, guidance, or judgment. It underscores that the evangelistic success was not merely human effort but supernatural activity.
• of the Lord (kuriou, Κυρίου): Refers to Jesus Christ, who is sovereign and active in His Church. In Acts, "the Lord" typically designates the risen, ascended, and empowering Christ, whose presence guides and enables the apostles and disciples. This highlights Christ's ongoing, active involvement in missionary expansion.
• was with (ēn met', ἦν μετ’): Implies continuous, supportive presence and cooperation. It's not just a momentary intervention but an abiding presence that facilitates and empowers their ministry, indicating a profound intimacy and partnership between the Lord and His servants.
• them (autōn, αὐτῶν): Refers to the anonymous disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene who were courageously preaching the Gospel to Gentiles in Antioch. This shows that God works through ordinary, faithful individuals, not just through prominent apostles.
• and (kai, καὶ): Again, a conjunction connecting the divine enabling with the human response. It emphasizes the two essential components of effective ministry: God's power and human receptivity.
• a great number (polus arithmos, πολὺς ἀριθμὸς): Signifies significant quantitative growth. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the Gentile outreach and provides clear evidence of God's blessing. It stands in stark contrast to previous experiences of predominantly Jewish belief.
• believed (episteusan, ἐπίστευσαν): Denotes a firm conviction, trust, and acceptance of the message about Jesus. This is the intellectual and volitional assent to the truth of the Gospel.
• and (kai, καὶ): Connects believing with turning, emphasizing that true faith in Jesus leads to a transformed life and new allegiance.
• turned (epestrepsan, ἐπέστρεψαν): Implies conversion, a decisive change of direction, a spiritual turning away from sin and idols toward God. It suggests repentance and a realignment of life, moving beyond mere intellectual belief to active commitment. This Greek term signifies a complete turning around, indicating a profound change of heart and allegiance.
• unto (epi, ἐπὶ): Indicates direction towards something, signifying orientation or commitment.
• the Lord (ton Kurion, τὸν Κύριον): The object of their faith and conversion, referring to Jesus Christ. Their turning was specifically to Him, implying a transfer of loyalty from previous gods, ways of life, or philosophies to Jesus as Lord.

Acts 11 21 Bonus section

The success recorded in Acts 11:21 was instrumental in demonstrating the Jerusalem church that God's plan extended truly to the Gentiles. This unexpected, divinely-empowered outcome at Antioch led to Barnabas being sent to investigate (v. 22), who, seeing God's grace, brought Saul (Paul) to the city (v. 25-26), transforming Antioch into the launching pad for Paul's three missionary journeys. It was also in Antioch that the disciples were first called "Christians," indicating a new, distinct identity rooted in Christ, separate from Judaism. This verse, therefore, represents a foundational moment, shifting the focus from initial evangelization primarily among Jews to a deliberate and Spirit-led global missionary enterprise to "the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The fact that "the hand of the Lord" was upon them—anonymous, scattered disciples—highlights that God's Spirit is not limited to prominent apostles but empowers all who faithfully proclaim His Word.

Acts 11 21 Commentary

Acts 11:21 is a concise yet profound summary of authentic Christian ministry and its results. It unveils a fundamental principle: genuine spiritual harvest is the direct outcome of God's active, empowering presence alongside human obedience and proclamation. The phrase "the hand of the Lord was with them" is deeply rooted in Old Testament narratives, where it consistently denotes divine power manifesting through people or circumstances, assuring the early Church that their bold expansion to Gentiles was God's own doing and endorsement. This divine validation was critical, particularly amidst controversies over Gentile inclusion.

The result — "a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord" — demonstrates two crucial aspects of genuine conversion. "Believed" signifies intellectual and spiritual assent to the Gospel truth about Jesus, acknowledging Him as Christ and Lord. "Turned unto the Lord" signifies repentance (metanoia), a decisive change of direction from sin, self, or idols to Christ, a holistic transformation of allegiance and lifestyle. This turning is not merely an emotional experience but a deliberate, comprehensive commitment. The pairing of "believed" and "turned" suggests that true saving faith is always accompanied by repentance, indicating a new life orientation. This verse offers a powerful model: courageous evangelism leads to widespread belief when it is unequivocally empowered by the Holy Spirit. It underscores the universal applicability of the Gospel and God's desire for all people to come to saving faith, moving beyond previously restrictive boundaries.Examples:

• A street preacher's small team sees many openly repent and commit to Christ in a skeptical urban area.
• Missionaries in an unreached people group witness entire villages renouncing traditional idols for Christ.
• An online ministry provides gospel content that leads to thousands of individuals publicly declaring their newfound faith and transformation.