Acts 11:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.

NIV: The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house.

NASB: And the Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house.

CSB: The Spirit told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we went into the man's house.

NLT: The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us.

KJV: And the spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house:

NKJV: Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.

By this time, the Jewish leaders of the church in Jerusalem must be on the edge of their seats. Ultra-legalistic Jesus-followers have charged Peter with the "crime" of eating with Gentiles (Acts 11:2). At that point in history, the church may follow Jesus, but they were still Jews who worshipped a Jewish Messiah and, so far as they know, the Mosaic law still stands in full effect.

Peter has told them how God sent him a vision when he was praying on the rooftop of a tanner named Simon in Joppa. The vision explained that the laws about what foods are allowed has been rescinded. The moment the vision ended, three men from Caesarea Maritima, thirty-five miles north, arrived and requested Peter return with them to the home of a centurion named Cornelius. It's possible Peter worried Jesus' prophecy about Peter's crucifixion is about to come true (John 21:18–19). But the Holy Spirit tells Peter to go without quibbling or delaying (Acts 10:9–23).

Jewish Jesus-followers from Joppa came with Peter and witnessed what happened (Acts 10:45). Fortunately, they came to Jerusalem, as well. In Jewish law, two witnesses are required for testimony to be considered proved; Peter didn't seem to come with anyone from Jerusalem in this trip. Having the six from Joppa with him gives credibility to his story.

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.