Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
In the church that was there (kata thn ousan ekklhsian). Possibly distributed throughout the church (note "in the church" Acts 11:26). Now a strong organization there. Luke here begins the second part of Acts with Antioch as the centre of operations, no longer Jerusalem. Paul is now the central figure instead of Peter. Jerusalem had hesitated too long to carry out the command of Jesus to take the gospel to the whole world. That glory will now belong to Antioch.
Prophets and teachers (profhtai kai didaskaloi). All prophets were teachers, but not all teachers were prophets who were for-speakers of God, sometimes fore-speakers like Agabus in Acts 11:28. The double use of te here makes three prophets (Barnabas, Symeon, Lucius) and two teachers (Manaen and Saul). Barnabas heads the list (Acts 11:22) and Saul comes last. Symeon Niger may be the Simon of Cyrene who carried the Saviour's cross. Lucius of Cyrene was probably one of the original evangelists (Acts 11:20). The name is one of the forms of Luke, but it is certainly not Luke the Physician. Manaen shows how the gospel was reaching some of the higher classes (home of Herod Antipas).
Foster-brother (suntrofov). Old word for nourished with or brought up with one collactaneus (Vulgate). These are clearly the outstanding men in the great Greek church in Antioch.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 13:1:
Luke 8:3
John 4:46
Acts 11:22
Acts 11:27
Acts 12:18
Acts 12:25
Acts 13:2
Acts 13:13
Romans 16:21
1 Corinthians 1:2
1 Corinthians 12:28
Philippians 4:15
James 3:1
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