Acts 11:1 kjv
And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Acts 11:1 nkjv
Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Acts 11:1 niv
The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
Acts 11:1 esv
Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
Acts 11:1 nlt
Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.
Acts 11 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 49:6 | "I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth." | Prophecy of Messiah's global salvation. |
| Joel 2:28 | "And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people..." | God's Spirit promised to all, not just Jews. |
| Gen 12:3 | "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." | Abrahamic promise of universal blessing. |
| Psa 22:27 | "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD..." | Nations returning to God. |
| Matt 28:19 | "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." | Great Commission for worldwide evangelism. |
| Luke 24:47 | "...and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem." | Jesus' command for a global gospel. |
| Acts 1:8 | "...and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." | Divine mandate for spreading the Gospel globally. |
| Acts 2:39 | "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call." | Inclusion for those "far off" (Gentiles). |
| Acts 10:1-48 | (Entire chapter) | The specific event of Peter's visit to Cornelius and Gentile conversion. |
| Acts 10:45 | "And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles." | Amazement at Holy Spirit's reception by Gentiles. |
| Acts 13:46-47 | "We are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" | Paul and Barnabas directly apply Isaiah's prophecy to Gentile ministry. |
| Acts 14:27 | "...and all that God had done with them, and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles." | God's opening of faith for Gentiles. |
| Acts 15:3 | "...telling of the conversion of the Gentiles..." | Reporting the conversion of Gentiles. |
| Acts 15:7-9 | "...God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did us..." | Peter's defense of Gentile inclusion at Jerusalem Council. |
| Rom 1:16 | "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." | Gospel for both Jew and Greek. |
| Rom 10:12 | "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all..." | No ethnic distinction in Christ. |
| Eph 2:11-16 | "...you were separate from Christ, excluded...now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near...He Himself is our peace, who has made both groups one and has broken down the barrier of the dividing wall." | Christ breaking down Jew-Gentile barrier. |
| Col 3:11 | "Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free; but Christ is all, and in all." | Unity and equality in Christ. |
| Gal 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Equality in Christ regardless of background. |
| Acts 4:31 | "...they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness." | Power for speaking God's Word. |
| 1 Pet 1:23 | "...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God." | Regeneration through God's Word. |
Acts 11 verses
Acts 11 1 Meaning
Acts 11:1 declares that the news of Gentiles receiving the saving message of God spread among the leading figures and believers throughout Judea. This groundbreaking event, specifically Peter's experience with Cornelius's household, signifies God's expansion of His salvation beyond the boundaries of Jewish ethnicity to include all nations. It underscores the universal scope of the Gospel, challenging deeply ingrained cultural and religious distinctions within the early church.
Acts 11 1 Context
Acts 11:1 follows directly from the momentous events of Acts 10, where Peter, through divine visions and angelic instruction, goes to the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion and Gentile. In an unprecedented move for a devout Jew, Peter enters a Gentile home, preaches the Gospel, and witnesses the Holy Spirit fall upon Cornelius and his household before their circumcision or adherence to Jewish law. This chapter, therefore, immediately addresses the critical reaction of the predominantly Jewish Christian leadership in Judea, particularly Jerusalem, to the astonishing news of uncircumcised Gentiles receiving salvation and the Holy Spirit without becoming Jewish proselytes first. Historically, the early Christian community was primarily Jewish, adhering to Mosaic Law and cultural distinctions, which made the full inclusion of Gentiles a profound theological and social challenge requiring explanation and affirmation.
Acts 11 1 Word analysis
- Now (Greek: de, δέ): This particle serves as a transition, linking the present narrative to the preceding one. It indicates a continuation of thought, setting the stage for the reaction to the events described in Acts 10.
- the apostles (Greek: hoi apostoloi, οἱ ἀπόστολοι): Refers to the authoritative, appointed messengers of Jesus, particularly those eyewitnesses of His resurrection who were commissioned to spread the Gospel. Their hearing this news indicates the central importance of the matter for the leadership of the nascent church.
- and the brothers (Greek: kai hoi adelphoi, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί): Encompasses the broader body of believers and fellow Christians. This inclusion signifies that the news was not just known by the leaders, but had circulated throughout the wider Christian community in Judea, making it a communal concern.
- who were in Judea (Greek: hoi ontes kata tēn Ioudaian, οἱ ὄντες κατὰ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν): Specifies the geographical location of these hearers. Judea, particularly Jerusalem, was the heartland of Jewish Christianity, where adherence to Jewish custom and law was strongest, making the news about Gentiles especially contentious there.
- heard (Greek: ēkousan, ἤκουσαν): A straightforward verb meaning "they heard" or "they learned." It implies that the information about the Gentiles was significant enough to spread and become a widespread topic of discussion and, for some, concern.
- that the Gentiles (Greek: hoti kai ta ethnē, ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἔθνη): Ethne (nations, peoples) specifically refers to non-Jews. The "kai" (also/even) emphasizes the astonishing nature of this development. It directly challenges the common Jewish understanding that God's salvation was exclusively or primarily for the Jewish people. This is the pivotal point of the news.
- also (Greek: kai, καὶ): As noted above, this emphasizes the unexpected and radical inclusion. It wasn't only the Jews, but also the Gentiles, signaling a major paradigm shift.
- had received (Greek: edexanto, ἐδέξαντο): This verb means "they welcomed," "they accepted," or "they received." It implies a voluntary, active acceptance of the message, suggesting a genuine conversion and not merely passive hearing. It underscores the divine act of them being enabled to receive.
- the word of God (Greek: ton logon tou Theou, τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ): This is the Gospel message, the divine revelation concerning Jesus Christ and His saving work, culminating in forgiveness of sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Its reception signifies salvation and inclusion into God's new covenant people.
Acts 11 1 Bonus section
The shock and debate instigated by this news (which continues in Acts 11:2-18 and culminates in the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15) illustrate the deeply ingrained ethnocentric biases present even among devout Jewish believers who had embraced Christ. It underscores that understanding God's inclusive plan often requires believers to step outside their comfort zones and challenge long-held traditions. This process of divine revelation unfolding, coupled with human apprehension and gradual acceptance, demonstrates a principle central to the growth of God's kingdom: the Spirit's work often pushes the boundaries of human expectation and established norms. It also foreshadows Paul's ministry to the Gentiles, which would largely be a further application of this principle established here by Peter.
Acts 11 1 Commentary
Acts 11:1 marks a crucial juncture in the narrative of Acts, effectively serving as a transition from Peter's pivotal encounter with Cornelius to the subsequent theological and social ramifications within the early church. The verse's core message is the widespread reception of astonishing news: Gentiles had also embraced God's Word, and consequently, His salvation. For Jewish Christians, steeped in centuries of Old Testament distinctives and practices, this was revolutionary. The Jerusalem believers, who formed the backbone of the nascent Christian movement, needed to process and affirm this divine breakthrough. The inclusion of "apostles and the brothers" highlights the broad interest and communal scrutiny the news invoked, underscoring that this wasn't a peripheral issue but central to the identity and future direction of the Christian faith. It set the stage for Peter's defense, laying the groundwork for the church's expansion beyond its Jewish roots. This verse establishes that the Holy Spirit's empowerment (Acts 1:8) for worldwide witness had begun to tangibly break through ethno-religious barriers.