Acts 11 12

Acts 11:12 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:

Acts 11:12 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.

Acts 11:12 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.

Acts 11:12 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.

Acts 11:12 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.

Acts 11 verses

Acts 11 12 Meaning

Acts 11:12 describes a pivotal moment where Peter, recounting his experience with Cornelius to the Jerusalem church, emphasizes the direct command of the Holy Spirit for him to go with Gentile messengers "nothing wavering." It further details the accompanying six Jewish brethren who served as vital witnesses and confirms their entry into a Gentile's house, a culturally forbidden act that became foundational to the inclusion of Gentiles in the early Christian community.

Acts 11 12 Context

This verse is part of Peter's testimony to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, defending his actions of entering a Gentile home and baptizing Gentiles (Acts 10-11). The audience, devout Jewish Christians, harbored strong traditional reservations about fellowship with uncircumcised Gentiles. Peter recounts the entire event in Caesarea, stressing the divine intervention at every stage. Specifically, Acts 11:12 follows the miraculous sign of the sheet from heaven, Peter's subsequent vision, and the arrival of Cornelius's messengers. It highlights the Holy Spirit's direct command as the definitive authority that propelled Peter beyond his deep-seated cultural and religious barriers. The inclusion of six brethren as witnesses underscores the prudence required to validate such a groundbreaking and controversial event within the Jewish-Christian community.

Acts 11 12 Word analysis

• And the Spirit told me (καὶ εἶπέν μοι τὸ πνεῦμα - kai eipen moi to pneuma):
  • Spirit (πνεῦμα - pneuma): Refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. This emphasizes divine guidance, not human initiative or decision. The Spirit's explicit command overrides personal reluctance or tradition.
  • told me (εἶπέν μοι - eipen moi): A direct, personal instruction, confirming Peter's direct interaction with God. This removes any ambiguity regarding Peter's justification for his subsequent actions. It reflects a continuity with divine communication in the Old Testament, now personalized by the indwelling Spirit.
• to go with them (σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀπελθεῖν - syn autois apelthein):
  • with them: Refers to Cornelius's Gentile messengers (Acts 10:7). This was a significant step, as direct association with uncircumcised Gentiles was traditionally seen as defiling for a Jew (Acts 10:28).
• nothing wavering (μηδὲν διακρίναντα - meden diakrinanta):
  • nothing wavering (διακρίναντα - diakrinanta): Implies "without doubting," "without making a distinction," or "without hesitation." It speaks to a deep, inner certainty given by the Spirit, overcoming Peter's previous hesitancy rooted in Jewish purity laws (e.g., in his vision where he argued against eating unclean food). The word is significant, indicating Peter overcame his deep-seated prejudices and theological reservations by direct divine command.
• Moreover these six brethren accompanied me (ἦλθον δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ καὶ οἱ ἓξ ἀδελφοὶ οὗτοι - ēalthon de syn emoi kai hoi hex adelphoi houtoi):
  • six brethren (οἱ ἓξ ἀδελφοὶ - hoi hex adelphoi): These were Jewish believers, likely from Joppa (Acts 10:23), who had travelled with Peter. Their presence was crucial. They served as multiple, independent witnesses, fulfilling a key legal and religious principle for validating important events (Deut 19:15; 2 Cor 13:1). Their testimony would lend credibility to Peter's account among the skeptical Jerusalem church members.
  • accompanied me: Their role was not merely observational but an act of solidarity and communal witnessing to the divine act about to unfold among the Gentiles.
• and we entered into the man's house (καὶ εἰσήλθομεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀνδρός - kai eisēlthomen eis ton oikon tou andros):
  • entered into the man's house: The "man" is Cornelius, a Gentile. This action itself was scandalous by Jewish standards. The act represents a practical breach of the ritual barriers and social divisions between Jews and Gentiles. It physically demonstrates Peter's obedience to the Spirit's earlier instruction to call "nothing unclean." It's a precursor to the gospel's message breaking down walls of division.

Acts 11 12 Bonus section

The specific mention of "six brethren" being Jewish-Christian witnesses suggests a parallel to the requirements for testimony in both Jewish legal tradition and later, Christian church practice (e.g., Matt 18:16; Deut 19:15). This deliberate inclusion underscores Luke's meticulousness in showing the careful, methodical steps by which Gentile inclusion was presented and ultimately accepted by the early, primarily Jewish, Christian movement. This verse also illustrates Peter's growth: from hesitant vision receiver (Acts 10:14) to unwavering Spirit-follower, exemplifying how God patiently leads His servants to overcome deep-seated prejudices for the sake of His gospel.

Acts 11 12 Commentary

Acts 11:12 provides the authoritative core of Peter's defense to the Jerusalem church, confirming his radical actions concerning the Gentiles were unequivocally commanded by the Holy Spirit. The divine injunction, "nothing wavering," addresses both Peter's internal struggle and anticipates the theological arguments he faces from those who maintain a rigid separation from Gentiles. It signifies a profound shift from a Law-centric understanding of purity to a Christ-centered understanding of inclusion. The presence of the six Jewish brethren is vital; they serve as a built-in corroborative witness team, a spiritual "jury," ensuring that Peter's testimony of the Spirit's work among Gentiles could not be dismissed as a lone, unverified experience. Their co-witnessing legitimized the groundbreaking events in Caesarea for the broader Jewish-Christian community. The physical act of entering a Gentile house symbolizes the irreversible breaking down of barriers, signaling God's unified plan of salvation for all humanity through Christ.