Acts 11:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.

NIV: "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.

NASB: And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.

CSB: "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning.

NLT: As I began to speak,' Peter continued, 'the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning.

KJV: And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

NKJV: And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.

Peter returned from an amazing experience in Caesarea Maritima to Jerusalem just to be accused of eating with uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 11:2–3). The charges are true, but the circumstances are extraordinary. And the act, itself, is not a sin in any sense. Peter explains how he was praying on a rooftop in Joppa when he received a vision wherein God told him the Mosaic laws against eating certain foods has been nullified. Immediately after the vision ended, three strangers invited Peter to visit with a Roman centurion, Cornelius, in Caesarea. Peter and six Jewish Jesus-followers from Joppa went to Cornelius and found a houseful of Gentiles ready to hear the story of Jesus (Acts 10:1–33).

Peter explained to Cornelius' guests that God sent Jesus to the Jews, but he realizes Jesus is for anyone of any nation willing to accept him. He also told of how Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and ministered throughout Judea and Galilee before being crucified. Cornelius and his guests knew this much (Acts 10:34–39).

As a soldier, Cornelius would have heard the rumors about the empty tomb. The soldiers tasked with securing the stone over the doorway (Matthew 27:62–66) lost all executive function when the angels arrived (Matthew 28:4). The priests bribed them to say the disciples stole Jesus' body (Matthew 28:11–15). There's no telling what part of this Cornelius was familiar with, but Peter explained that Jesus rose from the dead and then He met with some of His followers and told them to teach others about Him (Acts 10:40–43).

At this point, the Holy Spirit came down on Cornelius, his friends, and his family. He came down without Peter laying his hands on them and gave them the ability to speak other languages, as He had for the Jesus-followers "at the beginning" on Pentecost (Acts 2:4; 10:44–46). Yes, Peter ate with uncircumcised Gentiles, but these were full-fledged members of the church.

Acts 11:1–18 describes Peter defending his actions in Acts 10. The Holy Spirit led him to share Jesus' story with a house filled with Gentiles. As he had barely started, the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles and Peter had them baptized into the church. Now, he has returned to the church in Jerusalem and has some explaining to do. Despite Peter being the most prominent of Jesus' twelve disciples, the legalistic Jews have already gained significant influence in the church. It's a good reminder we must always follow God and be ready to defend our response to His leading.

Acts 11 accelerates the journey of the message of Jesus into the Gentile world. Peter returns to Jerusalem and explains to the church leaders how the Holy Spirit has fallen on a group of Gentiles in Caesarea Maritima (Acts 11:1–18). Then the church hears how Gentiles are coming to faith far north in Syrian Antioch; they send Barnabas to investigate and Barnabas brings in Saul (Acts 11:19–26). Finally, prophets travel from Jerusalem to Antioch to request aid for the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:27–30). The scene is almost set for Paul's extensive evangelism career to begin.

Until the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:54–60), the story of Jesus' followers remained mostly in Jerusalem. Saul started persecuting the church and the members fled, taking Jesus' story with them. This included Philip who shared Jesus' story with Samaritans and an Ethiopian official (Acts 8). Saul's persecution even led to his own conversion (Acts 9). And Peter brought the gospel to a group of Gentiles (Acts 10). After one more story about Peter and rising persecution by the Roman government, the book of Acts will turn to Saul, who will use the Greek variation of his name, Paul, and his missionary journeys to southeast Europe.

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.