Acts 11 16

Acts 11:16 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.

Acts 11:16 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.'

Acts 11:16 niv

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

Acts 11:16 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.'

Acts 11:16 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.'

Acts 11 verses

Acts 11 16 Meaning

Acts 11:16 records Peter recounting a pivotal moment during his defense before the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. After witnessing the Holy Spirit poured out on Cornelius's Gentile household, Peter recalls Jesus's specific promise regarding Spirit baptism, which distinguished it from John the Baptist's water baptism. This memory served as irrefutable divine confirmation that God had granted repentance and life to the Gentiles, establishing their inclusion in God's people on the basis of Spirit reception, not Jewish legal requirements.

Acts 11 16 Context

Acts 11:16 is part of Peter's defense before the apostles and brothers in Jerusalem, who had heard that he associated with and ate with uncircumcised Gentiles. Peter recounts his entire experience, from his vision in Joppa (Acts 10:9-16), to the arrival of Cornelius's messengers (Acts 10:17-23), to his going to Caesarea and preaching the Gospel to Cornelius's household (Acts 10:24-43). The climax of Peter's defense, and the turning point for the Jerusalem leaders, is the spontaneous outpouring of the Holy Spirit on these Gentiles before water baptism. This event, detailed in Acts 10:44-48, was the catalyst that brought Peter's mind to Jesus's prophecy regarding baptism with the Holy Spirit, which directly applies to what he witnessed. Peter's recollection is not just a casual memory but a profound theological understanding, linking the present manifestation of the Spirit to the past prophecy of Jesus, thereby justifying his actions and demonstrating God's inclusive plan for salvation extending to the Gentiles without prior Judaic conversion.

Acts 11 16 Word analysis

• Then (Τότε - Tote): A conjunction of time, indicating immediate sequence or logical consequence. It signifies the precise moment when Peter made the crucial connection between current events and past prophecy.

• remembered (ἀνεμνήσθην - anemnēsthēn): From anamimnesko, meaning to recall to mind, recollect, or bring to remembrance. This is not merely a passive memory, but an active, vivid recollection that clarifies understanding, signifying a profound "aha!" moment where past words became illuminated by present experience.

• I the word (ἐγὼ τοῦ ῥήματος - egō tou rhēmatos): "I" emphasizes Peter's personal recollection. "Word" (rhēma) here denotes a specific, spoken utterance, a declaration, or a particular saying, distinct from logos which might refer to a broader concept or message. It points to a direct quote or specific teaching.

• of the Lord (Κυρίου - Kyriou): Refers specifically to Jesus Christ. Designates the divine authority and sacredness of the teaching being recalled. This phrase authenticates the teaching as originating directly from Jesus himself.

• how that he said (ὡς ἔλεγεν - hōs elegen): "How" or "as he was saying/had said," indicating Peter is quoting or paraphrasing Jesus's exact words.

• John indeed (Ἰωάννης μὲν - Iōannēs men): "Indeed" or "truly" sets up a contrast. It acknowledges John's genuine, but ultimately preparatory, ministry.

• baptized (ἐβάπτισεν - ebaptisen): From baptizō, meaning to immerse, plunge, or overwhelm. Here it refers to John's ritual water immersion for repentance.

• with water (ὕδατι - hydati): Dative case, indicating the instrument or medium of John's baptism. Signifies physical washing.

• but (δὲ - de): A strong adversative conjunction, signifying a stark contrast and progression from John's baptism to Jesus's. It marks the shift from the lesser to the greater, the physical to the spiritual.

• ye shall be baptized (ὑμεῖς βαπτισθήσεσθε - hymeis baptisthēsesthe): "Ye" refers to the disciples, and by extension, all who would believe. "Shall be baptized" is future passive indicative, denoting an action performed on them by another, emphasizing divine initiative. It's a definitive future event.

• with the Holy Ghost (ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ - en Pneumati Hagiō): Literally "in Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit is the element or medium of this new baptism. It signifies an overwhelming immersion into and filling with the divine Spirit, empowering for witness and imparting new spiritual life and unity in the Body of Christ.

• Then remembered I the word of the Lord: This phrase underscores the crucial moment of divine enlightenment for Peter. The spontaneous descent of the Spirit on the Gentiles prompted Peter to connect a present extraordinary event with a previously spoken prophecy from Jesus (as found in Acts 1:5), thus revealing God's pre-ordained plan for Gentile inclusion. It's an affirmation of the veracity of Christ's words.

• John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost: This full phrase is a direct recollection of Jesus's promise. It highlights the fundamental distinction between John's baptism—a baptism of repentance, preparatory and symbolic—and the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit—an internal, empowering, and transforming experience that truly incorporates individuals into Christ and His Church, regardless of their ethnic background or prior religious standing. This contrast became the theological bedrock for the apostles' acceptance of Gentiles.

Acts 11 16 Bonus section

The "remembered I the word of the Lord" serves as a powerful biblical hermeneutic model: understanding past revelation is often clarified and activated by present experience and divine action. Peter's recollection isn't just about quoting a verse; it's about discerning how God is actively working in the world. The phrase "baptized with the Holy Ghost" signifies far more than just "receiving" the Spirit; it speaks of an overwhelming, comprehensive immersion into the Spirit's power and presence, which fundamentally alters one's spiritual reality and standing before God. It emphasizes that salvation for Gentiles does not require them to become Jews first. The unity of the church is forged by this Spirit baptism, bringing Jew and Gentile together into one body, signifying the new spiritual reality in Christ where old distinctions cease to be barriers. This verse, therefore, undergirds the inclusivity of the Gospel and the church's mission to all peoples.

Acts 11 16 Commentary

Acts 11:16 is the lynchpin of Peter's defense, acting as a divine confirmation for the Jerusalem church regarding the radical inclusion of Gentiles. Peter's recalling of Jesus's words about Holy Spirit baptism isn't merely an act of memory, but a profound spiritual discernment where he understands the prophecy's fulfillment in the miraculous outpouring on Cornelius's household. This was the irrefutable evidence that God Himself had accepted the uncircumcised Gentiles.

The verse clarifies that the baptism with the Holy Spirit, predicted by both John the Baptist and Jesus, is distinct from John's baptism with water. While John's baptism symbolized repentance and prepared the way, Spirit baptism is the definitive, new covenant experience of being immersed into and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This event brought supernatural enablement, spiritual unity, and marked God's embrace of a new, expanded people. The fact that the Spirit fell on the Gentiles before they were baptized with water demonstrates that outward rituals, like circumcision or water baptism (in this specific case), were not prerequisites for receiving the Holy Spirit, God's ultimate seal of approval. It showed God's initiative, granting repentance and life to Gentiles solely by His grace, fulfilled through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This divine act shattered ethnocentric barriers and paved the way for the church to understand its global mission.