Acts 11:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

NIV: Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

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

CSB: I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

NLT: Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

KJV: Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

NKJV: Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

Peter is defending his decision to eat with Gentiles. He explains that he'd been invited to tell them about Jesus, when suddenly the Holy Spirit came upon them. It's as if Peter is saying, "It wasn't me! I didn't baptize them or lay hands on them—the Holy Spirit just showed up!"

Whether correctly or not, Peter assumed the Gentiles knew of John's baptism (Acts 10:37). John's baptism was a call to repent of one's sins and choose to follow God. John's ministry was extremely popular; Apollos knew of it (Acts 18:24–28) as did twelve men in Ephesus (Acts 19:1–7). Judaism was a single religion with several different sects and many teachers within those sects. When a person accepted the teachings of a sect—such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, or Essenes—or found a teacher they felt convicted to follow, they would be baptized by being submerged in water.

The Greek baptizō means "to be submerged in water," but it is also used to refer to "being overwhelmed." While John convicted his audience to repent from their sins, he also mentioned that although he baptized with water, the Messiah was coming and would baptize His followers with the fire of the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16). Jesus reiterated this to the disciples after the resurrection (Acts 1:5), and the Holy Spirit came, with tongues of fire, on Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). Fire can represent a sacrifice consumed by flames to God (Leviticus 9:24; Romans 12:1) or God's purifying work that removes our sins (1 Peter 1:7).

The Gentiles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit before Peter had laid hands on them or baptized them in water (Acts 10:44). God chooses whom He will save and, as Peter says next, "Who was I that I could stand in God's way?" (Acts 11:17).

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.