Acts 11:21The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
The setting
Antioch, Syria, around 36-37 AD. What started as scattered refugees becomes a thriving multiethnic church. The 'hand of the Lord' — Hebrew idiom for God's active power — is visibly present as hundreds of Gentiles embrace Jesus.
The emotion here: wonder at God's ability to multiply small faithfulness
The original word
cheir (χείρ) — hand, representing God's active intervention and power
Why it matters
This church later sent out Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey
Read with care
What most readers miss in Acts 11:21
The phrase 'great number' suggests this was rapid, explosive growth that surprised everyone
Common misconceptionPeople think this was just human effort paying off, but Luke emphasizes this was supernatural — God's hand was the active agent.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Acts 11:21
Bible Genome reading
Acts 11:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Acts 11:21 comes from the book of Acts, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Luke. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine blessing, conversion. Notable phrases: hand of the Lord; great number believed; turned to the Lord.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Acts 11:21 mean to you, today?
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