What does 'Grecian' mean in Acts 11:20?
In Acts 11:20, the term 'Grecian' denotes a Jew who was not a native of Palestine, a citizen of another nation. The context, however, argues the word should likely be 'Greeks' (Gentiles), indicating a shift to preaching to the Gentile world.
Les explains that a Grecian was a Jew who was a citizen of some other nation except Palestine, a Jew not native to Palestine, whereas a Greek is a Gentile. He notes many Bible scholars think the word in Acts 11:20 should be 'Greeks' because it would not have been unusual for Jewish believers to speak to fellow Jews (Grecians), but approaching Greeks was a complete change in venue. This shift occurred because God was moving the Gospel to the Gentile world, after saving Saul and sending Peter to Cornelius. So these Jews who had preached only to Jews began speaking to Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus, and a great number believed.
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the LORD Jesus.
More Questions
What does 'Greek' mean in the Acts 11 passage?
Les explains that the word here should be understood as Greeks, or Hellenes, rather than Grecians. A Grecian was a Jew who was a citizen of some other nation except Palestine; he was a Jew who was not a native of Palestine. A Greek, however, is a Gentile. Approaching Greeks was therefore a complete change in venue and modus operandi, because these Jewish believers had been speaking to Jews only. Now God was moving the Gospel toward the Gentile world: He started when He saved Saul, sped it up when He sent Peter to Cornelius, and now Saul had returned from three years of learning and the revelation of the mysteries. So they began to speak to Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus, and the hand of the Lord was with them; a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
Were the people in Acts 11:20 Greek-speaking Jews or Gentile Greeks?
In Acts 11:20, the people preached to were 'Greeks'—that is, Gentiles—not merely Greek-speaking Jewish 'Grecians,' as the newer translations correctly render it.
In Acts 11:20, did the scattered believers speak to Grecian Jews or to Gentile Greeks?
In Acts 11:20, the King James's 'Grecians' should be understood as 'Greeks'—actual Gentiles, not Greek-speaking Jews—and that is the significant point.
How did Gentile Greeks first become interested in listening to the gospel in Acts 11?
God was sovereignly causing Gentile Greeks to become interested enough to listen to the message of these Jewish believers, even though those believers themselves did not realize what was happening.
Should Acts 11 read 'Greeks' or 'Grecians'?
The correct wording in this Acts passage is 'Greeks' (Hellenes), meaning Gentiles, not 'Grecians' (Hellenists), who were Greek-speaking Jews.