Acts 11:21

Acts 11:21

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

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

b. NIV: The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

c. YLT: and the hand of the Lord was with them, a great number also, having believed, did turn unto the Lord.

d. Amplified Bible: And the presence of the Lord was with them with power, so that a great number [learned] to believe (to adhere to and trust in and rely on the Lord) and turned and surrendered themselves to Him.

e. Worrell Translation: And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number wo believed turned to the LORD.

1. “And the hand of the Lord was with them…”

a. And [Strong: 2532 * kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. the hand [Strong: 5495 * cheir khire perhaps from the base of 5494 in the sense of its congener the base of 5490 (through the idea of hollowness for grasping); the hand (literally or figuratively (power); especially (by Hebraism) a means or instrument):--hand.]

c. the Lord [Strong: 2962 * kurios koo'-ree-os from kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- God, Lord, master, Sir.]

d. was [2258 * en ane imperfect of 1510; I (thou, etc.) was (wast or were):--+ agree, be, X have (+ charge of), hold, use, was(-t), were.]

e. with [Strong: 3326 * meta met-ah' a primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly, denoting accompaniment; "amid" (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive association, or accusative succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between 575 or 1537 and 1519 or 4314; less intimate than 1722 and less close than 4862):--after(-ward), X that he again, against, among, X and, + follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, (up-)on, + our, X and setting, since, (un-)to, + together, when, with (+ -out). Often used in composition, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence.]

f. them [Strong: 846 * autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

1). The Book Of Acts, Stanley M. Horton, p.140. “This expression is often used in the Bible to mean the power of the Lord or even the Spirit of the Lord (Ezekiel 1:1-3).”

2). Examples are found all through the Scripture where “the hand of the Lord” is the supernatural power of God for good and to protect His people.

a). 1 Kings 18:46  And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

b). Joshua 4:19-24 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

4:20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

4:21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?

4:22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

4:23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:

4:24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.

3). The hand of the Lord was present to stop the devil’s attempt to prevent the Roman deputy from believing the word of God.

a). Acts 13:9-12 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

13:10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

13:11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

13:12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

4). It is by the power of the Spirit of God and not by man’s wisdom that men are won to Jesus Christ.

a). 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

2. “…and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”

a. and [Strong: 5037 * te teh a primary particle (enclitic) of connection or addition; both or also (properly, as correlation of 2532):--also, and, both, even, then, whether. Often used in composition, usually as the latter participle.]

b. a great [Strong: 4183 * polus pol-oos' including the forms from the alternate pollos; (singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many; neuter (singular) as adverbial, largely; neuter (plural) as adverb or noun often, mostly, largely:--abundant, + altogether, common, + far (passed, spent), (+ be of a) great (age, deal, -ly, while), long, many, much, oft(-en (-times)), plenteous, sore, straitly.]

c. number [Strong: 706 * arithmos ar-ith-mos' from 142; a number (as reckoned up):--number.]

d. believed [Strong: 4100 * pisteuo pist-yoo'-o from 4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ):--believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.]

e. and turned [Strong: 1994 * epistrepho ep-ee-stref'-o from 1909 and 4762; to revert (literally, figuratively or morally):--come (go) again, convert, (re-)turn (about, again).]

f. unto [Strong: 1909 * epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

g. the Lord [Strong: 1962 * kurios koo'-ree-os from kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- God, Lord, master, Sir.]

1). Many Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. There are many many passages in the Old Testament that foretell of the Gentiles coming to Christ and that it was God’s intention all along. Paul in his epistle to the Romans cites some of them, but there are many more than what is cited here. In these verses thaere are citations from 2 Samuel 22:50; Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 117:1; and Isaiah 11:10.

a). Romans 15:8-12 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

15:9And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

15:10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.