Acts 10:43 - Printer Friendly

ESV: To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

NIV: All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

NASB: All the prophets testify of Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.'

CSB: All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins."

NLT: He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.'

KJV: To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

NKJV: To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

Peter is in Caesarea Maritima, the Roman capital of Samaria and Judea, at the home of Cornelius, a Roman centurion who devoutly follows the Jewish God. An angel appeared to Cornelius and told him to send for Peter. As his messengers approached the house where Peter was staying, Jesus sent Peter a vision explaining that Gentiles were welcome to follow Him, as well. Peter went with the messengers and found a household of people ready to hear his testimony of Jesus (Acts 10:1–33).

The "prophets" are those mentioned in the Old Testament, including Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15), David (Psalm 22), Isaiah (Isaiah 53; 61:1–3), Hosea (Hosea 6:1–2), and Jonah. They, like the apostles (Acts 1:8), bear witness to Jesus' identity as the Son of God and the Jewish Messiah. Jesus "name" doesn't mean the syllables Peter uses to identify Him. It means His power, authority, sovereignty, and deity: His identity. Jesus saves because of who He is.

"Forgiveness" is from the Greek root word aphesis. This refers to when a victim voluntarily releases their right to personally punish their aggressor. The governing authorities will still hold the perpetrator legally and financially responsible for their crime, but the impetus comes from the law, not the victim. Jesus covered the legal ramifications of sin at the cross, and offers both personal and legal forgiveness for any who trust in His name.

Acts 10:34–43 describes the first group of Gentiles receiving salvation. A Roman centurion in the Roman capital of Caesarea Maritima has filled his house with friends and family to hear from Peter, one of the leaders of a new Jewish sect. As a God-fearing Gentile in Samaria, the centurion knows about the prophets and the events around Jesus' ministry and crucifixion. He apparently needs to know about the resurrection and Jesus' role in God's plan of forgiveness. Before Peter is even finished speaking, the Holy Spirit falls on the group, and the era of Gentile Jesus-followers begins.

Peter has been a dominant voice in the spread of Jesus' message to Jews and proselytes. Now he brings the gospel to Gentiles. An angel tells Cornelius, a centurion, to ask Peter to come to him. Peter is praying when he receives a vision of food—including non-kosher food—and God's voice telling him to eat. When the centurion's messengers arrive, Peter realizes the dream meant that Gentiles are no longer unclean. He follows the messengers and tells Cornelius' household about salvation through Jesus. Before Peter can lay his hands on them or baptize them, the Holy Spirit falls on them.

Jesus told the disciples they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Oddly, the disciples didn't understand this meant the Holy Spirit would come upon Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles alike. After several years reaching Jews and proselytes in Jerusalem (Acts 1—7) and Samaritans in Samaria (Acts 8:4–25), God calls Peter to bring the message to Gentiles. Peter's witness that Gentiles can be saved (Acts 11) clears the way for Paul's ministry to Gentiles in modern-day Turkey, Greece, and Italy (Acts 13—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.