Acts 11 24

Acts 11:24 kjv

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

Acts 11:24 nkjv

For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

Acts 11:24 niv

He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Acts 11:24 esv

for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

Acts 11:24 nlt

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.

Acts 11 verses

Acts 11 24 Meaning

Barnabas is presented as a man of sterling moral character, profoundly guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and possessing unwavering trust in God. These intrinsic spiritual and personal attributes made his ministry in Antioch exceptionally fruitful, resulting in a substantial number of individuals committing their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. His exemplary presence was instrumental in the significant expansion of the early Christian community among both Jews and Gentiles.

Acts 11 24 Context

Acts chapter 11 unfolds after Peter's transformative vision and subsequent ministry to Cornelius, signifying the definitive inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian faith. It describes how believers, dispersed by persecution from Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), carried the gospel to diverse regions. Crucially, in Antioch, Hellenistic Jews began preaching the message of Jesus to Gentiles (Acts 11:19-20). This pioneering work caught the attention of the Jerusalem church, who sent Barnabas to investigate and support. Barnabas's arrival confirmed the divine authenticity of the Gentile conversions. His exemplary character and Spirit-empowered ministry, as detailed in this verse, were pivotal in nurturing this fledgling, multi-ethnic community. This period cemented Antioch as a key missionary base and paved the way for Barnabas to later retrieve Saul (Paul) for further ministry, setting the stage for wider evangelization to the Gentile world.

Acts 11 24 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): Connects the outcome (conversions) to Barnabas's character. Implies a causal link for his effectiveness.
• he was (ἦν - ēn): Imperfect tense: denotes continuous, abiding characteristic of Barnabas, not temporary.
• a good man (ἀγαθὸς ἀνήρ - agathos anēr):
  • ἀγαθός (agathos): Morally good, inherently virtuous. Signifies deep integrity and beneficial nature, not just superficial pleasantness (contrast with kalos). Made him trustworthy and approachable.
  • ἀνήρ (anēr): Refers to an adult male, emphasizes his specific person.
• full (πλήρης - plērēs): Completely filled, permeated, controlled. Indicates saturation and dominance, beyond mere possession.
• of the Holy Spirit (Πνεύματος Ἁγίου - Pneumatos Hagiou): Divine Third Person, the Spirit of God. Signifies being guided, empowered, and indwelt manifestly by the Spirit. His words/actions gained divine authority. Essential for spiritual enablement.
• and of faith (καὶ πίστεως - kai pisteōs):
  • πίστις (pistis): Active trust, unwavering conviction, steadfast reliance on God. Profound confidence in God's promises. Dynamic, life-shaping force beyond mere intellectual assent.
• And (καὶ - kai): Consequential conjunction: links Barnabas's character directly to his ministry's outcome.
• much people (ὄχλος ἱκανός - ochlos hikanos):
  • ὄχλος (ochlos): Multitude, crowd, common people. Implies a significant, often diverse, number.
  • ἱκανός (hikanos): Sufficient, adequate, considerable. Emphasizes the large, substantial influx of new believers.
• was added (προσετέθη - prosetethē): Aorist passive verb: indicates completed action by an external agent (God). Emphasizes divine initiative and God's sovereignty in growth. Not just human effort.
• to the Lord (τῷ Κυρίῳ - tō Kyriō): Refers to Jesus Christ. Conversion is personal commitment and allegiance to Jesus. Emphasizes spiritual transformation, relationship with Christ, not mere organizational affiliation.

Words-group analysis:

• "he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith": This composite description defines Barnabas's integrated spiritual identity. His moral goodness, rooted in his being "full of the Holy Spirit," provided credibility. The Holy Spirit's enablement and his personal "faith" (trust in God) were the dynamic forces behind his effective ministry. These qualities together made him an ideal vessel for God's work.
• "much people was added to the Lord": This phrase directly attributes the significant church growth to a divine work through Barnabas. The passive voice ("was added") emphasizes God's sovereign role in drawing individuals to Himself, confirming that conversion is ultimately God's work, manifested through faithful human instruments.

Acts 11 24 Bonus section

Barnabas's description here resonates with that of Stephen (Acts 6:5), establishing a consistent pattern of highly valued spiritual qualities for effective ministry within the early church. This highlights that deep spiritual character, empowered by the Spirit and expressed through faith, was more significant than social standing or oratorical prowess. The strategic consequence of this verse is immense: Antioch, a city largely influenced by Barnabas and later Saul, became the launchpad for major missionary journeys that would spread the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, proving that Spirit-led leadership generates expansion beyond local communities. The verse implicitly asserts that while the divine Agent is God, human character plays a crucial role as the vessel through which that divine work is mediated. It illustrates the symbiotic relationship between divine power and human receptiveness, demonstrating that authentic spiritual leadership validates itself through genuine spiritual transformation and growth among the lost.

Acts 11 24 Commentary

Acts 11:24 presents Barnabas as an archetype of godly leadership, where inner character and spiritual anointing coalesce for kingdom impact. His designation as a "good man" speaks to an ethical life, integrity, and genuine compassion that made him approachable and trustworthy. Crucially, this goodness was intrinsically linked to being "full of the Holy Spirit," signifying a life empowered, guided, and sanctified by divine presence, not merely human effort or talent. His being "full of faith" further anchored his actions in trust and obedience to God, regardless of the circumstances, particularly in a cross-cultural ministry context. These interconnected qualities – moral uprightness, Spirit-empowerment, and unwavering faith – were the catalyst for remarkable church growth. The resulting "much people was added to the Lord" underlines that genuine spiritual fruit, marked by conversion and allegiance to Christ, is the tangible outcome when God works through such yielded and qualified vessels.