Acts11

Peter defends his association with Gentiles to the Jerusalem brethren, recounting his vision and the Holy Ghost's descent upon Cornelius's household, which convinced them of God's grace for all. Meanwhile, the Gospel spreads to Antioch, where many Grecians believe, and Barnabas brings Saul to teach. The disciples there are first called Christians, and they later send aid to Judaea during a prophesied famine.

Listen to this chapter

Peter Defends Ministry to Gentiles

The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him

and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events:

“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me.

I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.

Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’

‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.

Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.

The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.

He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.

He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.

Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”

When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

The Gospel Spreads to Antioch

Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.

But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.

The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,

and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

Famine Relief Sent to Judea

In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.)

So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

Study Notes for Acts 11

Verse 1

The news of Gentiles (Cornelius and his household) receiving the gospel caused immediate theological tension among Jewish Christians, who assumed salvation required adherence to Mosaic law.

Verse 2

The 'circumcision party' refers to conservative Jewish believers who insisted that Gentile converts must be circumcised and follow Jewish customs. This group became the source of major conflict in the early church.

Verse 3

The core accusation was not simply preaching, but Peter’s willingness to share table fellowship (eat) with uncircumcised Gentiles, which violated strict Jewish purity codes.

Verse 4

Peter’s defense relies entirely on recounting the events chronologically and emphasizing that his actions were directed by God (a divine mandate), not personal choice.

Verse 12

Peter emphasizes that six Jewish brethren accompanied him, serving as vital eyewitnesses to confirm that the Spirit’s outpouring occurred exactly as Peter described.

Verse 15

The Holy Ghost fell upon the Gentiles before Peter had finished preaching or had baptized them, mirroring the Pentecost event (Acts 2:4). This established divine acceptance without requiring Jewish rituals.

Verse 16

Peter connects the Gentile experience directly to Jesus’ promise of Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5), establishing theological continuity and authority for the inclusion of non-Jews.

Verse 17

This rhetorical question is the climax of Peter’s argument: since God gave them the same gift, human beings cannot impose additional religious requirements or resist God’s clear will.

Verse 18

The Jerusalem church accepts Peter’s testimony, acknowledging that God has extended repentance and salvation to the Gentiles. This decision marks a profound theological shift for the early church mission.

Verse 19

This verse returns to the narrative of the scattering caused by the persecution following Stephen’s martyrdom (cf. Acts 8:1–4), which inadvertently spread the gospel geographically.

Verse 20

Antioch, the third-largest city in the Roman Empire, becomes the primary center for Gentile mission. The men from Cyprus and Cyrene were likely Hellenistic Jews who broke tradition by preaching explicitly to non-Jews (Grecians/Hellenes).

Verse 21

The phrase 'the hand of the Lord was with them' is a biblical idiom signifying divine favor and empowerment, emphasizing that the rapid growth was miraculous.

Verse 22

Barnabas, known for his ability to encourage and his generosity (Acts 4:36), was sent by the Jerusalem church to investigate and support the unexpected success in Antioch.

Verse 23

Barnabas validates the work as genuinely 'the grace of God,' indicating that the Gentile converts had received the Holy Spirit and were living consistent Christian lives.

Verse 25

Recognizing the massive task of discipling this large, new, diverse church, Barnabas specifically sought Saul (Paul) in Tarsus, bringing him into full-time ministry.

Verse 26

Antioch became the joint ministry base for Barnabas and Saul for a pivotal year. The term 'Christians' (meaning 'Christ’s people' or 'belonging to Christ') was likely a nickname given by outsiders due to the disciples’ intense focus on Jesus as the Messiah.

Verse 27

Prophets were inspired individuals who communicated God’s message, often involving revelation about the future or instruction for the present.

Verse 28

Agabus is a known prophet (cf. Acts 21:10). The predicted famine occurred historically during the reign of Claudius (c. A.D. 46–48), providing a specific historical anchor for Luke’s narrative.

Verse 29

The response demonstrates practical Christian unity and charity. The Gentile church in Antioch provided financial aid to the Jewish mother church in Judea during a time of need.

Verse 30

The designation 'elders' indicates that an established, organized leadership structure had developed in the Jerusalem church. This concludes Saul’s first missionary journey recorded in Acts.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate

Acts11

Peter Defends Ministry to Gentiles

The Gospel Spreads to Antioch

Famine Relief Sent to Judea

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Options