The Meaning of Acts 9:42 Explained

Acts 9:42

KJV: And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

YLT: and it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord;

Darby: And it became known throughout the whole of Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

ASV: And it became known throughout all Joppa: and many believed on the Lord.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  it was  known  throughout  all  Joppa;  and  many  believed  in  the Lord. 

What does Acts 9:42 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Many people became believers because of the news of this miracle, too. The phrase "believed in the Lord" ( Acts 9:42) is similar to "turned to the Lord" ( Acts 9:35; cf. Acts 11:21; Acts 15:19). It is another way of saying "became Christians" and emphasizes that the Person they believed in was the Lord Jesus. Notice that turning is believing and that Luke mentioned no other conditions for salvation.

Context Summary

Acts 9:32-43 - Strength And Life Through Christ
Peter was now free for a visit of apostolic inspection, of which the two incidents here preserved are the only record. Lydda was a village on the great plain, abutting on the seaboard. The effect of the miracle of healing wrought upon Æneas was profound. A general conversion of the agricultural population was the immediate result. They all turned to the Lord. The villagers had probably been prepared by the tidings of what had taken place, and a single spark sufficed to set the whole country in a blaze.
The little church at Joppa had sustained a serious loss in the death of one of its chief workers, a woman named Dorcas, Acts 9:36-37. She is described as a certain disciple. She had learned of Jesus Christ the great lesson that the love of God implies ministry to others, and she gave herself to practice it by quiet, feminine handiwork, which she distributed among the desolate and friendless women of the town. Peter's prayer in the chamber of death was answered, and Dorcas was given back to her friends. Our Lord put His seal upon her work, and she has been crowned as the patron saint of women workers. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 9

1  Saul, going toward Damascus, is stricken down to the earth,
8  and led blind to Damascus;
10  is called to the apostleship;
18  and is baptized by Ananias
20  He preaches Christ boldly
23  The Jews lay wait to kill him;
29  so do the Grecians, but he escapes both
31  The church having rest, Peter heals Aeneas;
36  and restores Tabitha to life

What do the individual words in Acts 9:42 mean?

Known then it became throughout all - of Joppa and believed many on the Lord
Γνωστὸν δὲ ἐγένετο καθ’ ὅλης τῆς Ἰόππης καὶ ἐπίστευσαν πολλοὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον

Γνωστὸν  Known 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: γνώριμος 
Sense: known, notable.
ἐγένετο  it  became 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
καθ’  throughout 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
τῆς  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰόππης  of  Joppa 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰόππη  
Sense: a city of Palestine on the Mediterranean, lying on the border of the tribes of Dan and Ephraim.
ἐπίστευσαν  believed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.
πολλοὶ  many 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
Κύριον  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.