Tag Archives: Acts 11:20

Missionary Initiative and Grammatical Identity in Acts 11:20: Syntax and Semantic Range in the Expansion of the Gospel

Ἦσαν δέ τινες ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες Κύπριοι καὶ Κυρηναῖοι, οἵτινες εἰσελθόντες εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν, ἐλάλουν πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς, εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν. Introduction

Acts 11:20 marks a decisive moment in the development of early Christian mission, describing the geographical and linguistic outreach beyond Judea. Grammatically, it contains significant constructions: periphrastic participles, prepositional phrases with directional focus, and a key debated noun—Ἑλληνιστάς. Each component of the Greek informs both the theology and the literary style of Luke’s narrative.

Verbal Core and Periphrastic Structure: Ἦσαν … ἐλάλουν

– Ἦσαν: Imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural of εἰμί, meaning “they were.” – This sets the background as continuous past action.… Learn Koine Greek

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