Bible Strands
Acts 13:1
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Luke narrates a roster of the Antioch church's leadership, not direct speech. The moment is the stage set before the Holy Spirit's commission in verse 2.
The words — τινες (tines) = "some" is a deliberately vague quantifier; Luke names five men but signals the list is not exhaustive.
The thread — Antioch recurs as the sending-hub: Barnabas arrives there in Acts 11:22, Paul and Barnabas teach there in Acts 15:35, and Barnabas's own background is given in Acts 4:36.
Why it lands — It asks the reader to see mission as a corporate function of a church already equipped with prophets and teachers, not a solo calling. It also asks the reader to notice Saul is listed last, not first.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Cross-references
- Acts 4:36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),
- Acts 15:35 But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
- Acts 11:22 When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
- Acts 13:9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas
- Galatians 2:9 And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
- Luke 3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
- Acts 15:32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
- 1 Corinthians 14:24 But if an unbeliever or uninstructed person comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted and called to account by all,
- Ephesians 4:11 And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
- Matthew 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus