The Meaning of Acts 9:38 Explained

Acts 9:38

KJV: And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

YLT: and Lydda being nigh to Joppa, the disciples having heard that Peter is in that place, sent two men unto him, calling on him not to delay to come through unto them.

Darby: But Lydda being near to Joppa, the disciples having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, beseeching him, Thou must not delay coming to us.

ASV: And as Lydda was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men unto him, entreating him, Delay not to come on unto us.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  forasmuch as  Lydda  was nigh  to Joppa,  and the disciples  had heard  that  Peter  was  there,  they sent  unto  him  two  men,  desiring  [him] that he would  not  delay  to come  to  them. 

What does Acts 9:38 Mean?

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

Greek Commentary for Acts 9:38

Delay not [mē oknēsēis)]
Ingressive aorist active subjunctive in prohibition. Direct discourse and not indirect as late MSS. have (aorist active infinitive, oknēsai). Possibly the two messengers started before Dorcas was quite dead, though we do not know. Peter had recently healed Aeneas and the disciples may have had faith enough to believe that he could raise the dead by the power of Christ. W. M. Ramsay doubts if Dorcas was really dead, but why see legends in these supernatural events? [source]
That he would not delay [μὴ ὀκνῆσαι]
The best texts read ὀκνήσῃς putting the request in the form of a direct address, Delay not. [source]
To come [διελθεῖν]
Lit., to come through. Rev., come on. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 9:38 mean?

Near now being Lydda - Joppa the disciples having heard that Peter is in it sent two men to him imploring Not to delay coming to us
ἐγγὺς δὲ οὔσης Λύδδας τῇ Ἰόππῃ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Πέτρος ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀπέστειλαν δύο ἄνδρας πρὸς αὐτὸν παρακαλοῦντες Μὴ ὀκνήσῃς διελθεῖν ἕως ἡμῶν

ἐγγὺς  Near 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐγγύς  
Sense: near, of place and position.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
οὔσης  being 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
Λύδδας  Lydda 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Λύδδα  
Sense: a town is 9 miles (5 km) from Joppa, and is the first town on the northernmost of the two roads between that place and Jerusalem.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰόππῃ  Joppa 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰόππη  
Sense: a city of Palestine on the Mediterranean, lying on the border of the tribes of Dan and Ephraim.
μαθηταὶ  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
ἀκούσαντες  having  heard 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Πέτρος  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
ἀπέστειλαν  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀποστέλλω 
Sense: to order (one) to go to a place appointed.
δύο  two 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: δύο 
Sense: the two, the twain.
ἄνδρας  men 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀνήρ  
Sense: with reference to sex.
παρακαλοῦντες  imploring 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: παρακαλέω  
Sense: to call to one’s side, call for, summon.
ὀκνήσῃς  to  delay 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ὀκνέω  
Sense: to feel loath, to be slow.
διελθεῖν  coming 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: διέρχομαι  
Sense: to go through, pass through.
ἡμῶν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.

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