Acts 11:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

NIV: When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, 'So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.'

NASB: When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, 'Well then, God has also granted to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.'

CSB: When they heard this they became silent. And they glorified God, saying, "So then, God has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles."

NLT: When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, 'We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.'

KJV: When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

NKJV: When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

The reason Peter ate with Gentiles is because they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and received the Holy Spirit as evidenced by their spontaneous ability to speak in other languages. When Peter saw the incontrovertible evidence of their acceptance into God's kingdom, he had them baptized into the church (Acts 10:44–48). This is the explanation he has given to those who objected to his eating with "unclean" people (Acts 11:2–17).

It's likely this verse describes two different groups. The first group, who fell silent and likely stayed that way, is probably the "circumcision party" who first charged Peter with breaking the Mosaic law by eating with the uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 11:2–3). These men were most likely Pharisees before they believed in Jesus. It seems this group caused a great deal of trouble in the early church. They insisted Gentiles could only join the church and worship the Jewish Messiah if they became Jews by being circumcised. Later, Paul will find them so wearisome he will call them mutilators of the flesh (Philippians 3:2) and declare they should just go all the way and castrate themselves (Galatians 5:12).

The other group, likely the other disciples and James the brother of Jesus, see this as a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to bless the nations through him (Genesis 26:4). They know that heaven celebrates more for a repentant Gentile than a "holy" Jew (Luke 15:7). Jesus had told them His good news should first be spread in Jerusalem, but His followers should take the message to the world (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8), and that, yes salvation is from the Jews, but it is for the world (Romans 1:16).

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.