The Passion Translation New Testament: With Psalms, Proverbs and Song of Songs

by Brian Simmons

21 Or “from Cyrene,” which is present-day Tripoli, Libya. Cyrene was a Greek colony that had a great number of Jews who had been forced to live there during the reign of Ptolemy Soter (323–285 BC). Church tradition states that Simon’s two sons became powerful missionaries for Jesus Christ. Their mention here might indicate that they were notable among the early Christians. See Rom. 16:13. It is also possible that Simon himself could be linked to the “believers from Cyprus and Cyrene” who were evangelists to the Syrians, mentioned in Acts 11:20. k15:21 Or “the father of two sons,” who, by implication, were with him at that time. Church tradition states that their names were Rufus and Alexander who became missionaries preaching the message of Christ. See Rom. 16:13.