11:19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen 2 went as far as 3 Phoenicia, 4 Cyprus, 5 and Antioch, 6 speaking the message 7 to no one but Jews. 11:20 But there were some men from Cyprus 8 and Cyrene 9 among them who came 10 to Antioch 11 and began to speak to the Greeks 12 too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.
13:4 So Barnabas and Saul, 13 sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, 14 and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 15
1 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Note how the actions of Barnabas are in keeping with the meaning of his nickname. He stands in contrast to Ananias and Sapphira in 5:1-11.
2 sn The phrase over Stephen means in connection with Stephen’s death. See Acts 8:1b-3.
3 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.
4 sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.
5 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.
6 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.
7 tn Grk “word.”
3 sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
4 sn Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.
5 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.
6 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
7 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.
4 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 sn Seleucia was the port city of Antioch in Syria.
6 sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
5 tn Grk “There happened a sharp disagreement.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
6 tn BDAG 780 s.v. παροξυσμός 2 has “sharp disagreement” here; L&N 33.451 has “sharp argument, sharp difference of opinion.”
7 tn Grk “taking along Mark sailed.” The participle παραλαβόντα (paralabonta) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
8 sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
6 sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
7 sn The expression left it behind on our port side here means “sailed past to the south of it” since the ship was sailing east.
8 tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”
9 sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia. From Patara to Tyre was about 400 mi (640 km). It required a large cargo ship over 100 ft (30 m) long, and was a four to five day voyage.
7 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.
8 tn Grk “to Mnason…”; the words “the house of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the verb ξενισθῶμεν (xenisqwmen).
9 tn Or perhaps, “Mnason of Cyprus, one of the original disciples.” BDAG 137 s.v. ἀρχαῖος 1 has “ἀ. μαθητής a disciple of long standing (perh. original disc.) Ac 21:16.”