This
was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. The Spirit told me to go with them, without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa, and get Simon, who is called Peter, who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?” When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”
Acts 11:10-18
Acts 11 [4.] But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me. When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’
Acts 11 [10.] This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. The Spirit told me to go with them, without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa, and get Simon, who is called Peter, who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?”
Acts 11 [18.] When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”
Acts 11 [19.] They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch, who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.
Meaning:
Peter is answering those who objected, “You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!” (Acts 11:3). He now tells how God’s timing and the gift of the Spirit left him no choice.
- “These six brothers also accompanied me”
Six Jewish believers from Joppa had seen everything. The Law required that “at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15). Peter brought twice that number, and he stresses that the Spirit sent him (Acts 10:20).
- “Words by which you will be saved, you and all your house”
Peter adds a detail of the angel’s message not given in chapter 10. Cornelius was to hear words by which he and his household would be saved. His prayers and generosity had been noticed by God (Acts 10:4), but salvation came through the message about Jesus.
- “The Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning”
“The beginning” is Pentecost, when the apostles “were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages” (Acts 2:4). Peter saw no difference.
That reminded him of Jesus’ promise before his ascension: “For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). John the Baptist had said, “He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). The promise had now reached the Gentiles.
- “Who was I, that I could withstand God?”
Peter’s argument is simple: “God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed.” Gamaliel had warned the Council about this very danger, saying that they “would be found even to be fighting against God” (Acts 5:39).
- “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”
The critics “held their peace, and glorified God.” Silence turned into praise. They saw repentance as God’s gift: Peter had said that Jesus was exalted “to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins” (Acts 5:31), and Paul wrote, “perhaps God may give them repentance” (2 Timothy 2:25). Now that gift reached the Gentiles, leading “to life.” Some questions remained, and the matter of circumcision would come up again at the Jerusalem council, where Peter recalled this day (Acts 15:8), but the principle was settled: God receives Gentiles through faith in Jesus.
The Significance of Acts 11:10-18
- When God acts, his people must follow
When the church saw clearly what God had done, it changed its mind and praised him. Faithfulness includes letting God’s work correct our assumptions.
- Repentance and life are gifts
Repentance is not only a human decision; it is something God grants. No one is beyond the reach of that gift.
Cross-References:
Acts 1:5: “For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” The promise Peter remembered.
Acts 5:39: “you would be found even to be fighting against God.” Gamaliel’s warning.
2 Timothy 2:25: “perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth.” Repentance as God’s gift.
Conclusion: Peter told the Jerusalem believers how six witnesses saw the Spirit fall on the Gentiles just as on the apostles at Pentecost, fulfilling Jesus’ promise of baptism in the Holy Spirit; he could not withstand God. His critics fell silent and glorified God, recognising that God had granted repentance leading to life to the Gentiles too. The church let God’s clear work reshape its thinking.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible