Acts 11:17 kjv
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Acts 11:17 nkjv
If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"
Acts 11:17 niv
So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God's way?"
Acts 11:17 esv
If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"
Acts 11:17 nlt
And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God's way?"
Acts 11 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 2:38 | "Repent and be baptized... for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." | The gift of the Spirit follows repentance. |
| Acts 2:39 | "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off..." | Promise extends to distant ones (Gentiles). |
| Acts 2:44 | "And all who believed were together..." | Unity among early believers. |
| Acts 10:34 | "Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.'" | God's impartiality is a key realization. |
| Acts 10:43 | "...that through His name whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." | Salvation through faith, universally offered. |
| Acts 10:44 | "While Peter was still speaking... the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word." | Holy Spirit fell upon Gentiles. |
| Acts 10:45 | "And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished... because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also." | Jewish believers surprised by Gentile Spirit. |
| Acts 10:46 | "...they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God..." | Evidence of Spirit's outpouring. |
| Acts 10:47 | "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" | Spirit reception justifies baptism. |
| Acts 15:7 | "...Peter rose up and said... God long ago chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word..." | God's prior choice for Gentile evangelism. |
| Acts 15:8 | "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us." | God's direct validation of Gentile faith. |
| Acts 15:9 | "and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." | No distinction, hearts purified by faith. |
| Deut 10:17 | "For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords... who shows no partiality..." | God's nature: without partiality. |
| 2 Chr 19:7 | "...for there is no injustice with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.” | God's character: just and impartial. |
| Rom 2:11 | "For there is no partiality with God." | Reiteration of God's impartiality. |
| Rom 3:28 | "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law." | Justification by faith alone. |
| Rom 10:12 | "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him." | No distinction for salvation. |
| Gal 3:2 | "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" | Spirit received through faith, not law. |
| Gal 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Unity and equality in Christ. |
| Eph 2:11-18 | Describes how Christ has broken down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile. | Reconciliation and unity of all in Christ. |
| Job 42:2 | "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You." | God's omnipotence; His plans cannot be thwarted. |
| Isa 43:13 | "...Indeed, before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?" | God's work is irreversible by human hands. |
| Dan 4:35 | "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand..." | God's sovereignty over all. |
| Prov 21:30 | "There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD." | Human wisdom cannot oppose God. |
Acts 11 verses
Acts 11 17 Meaning
Peter's rhetorical question in Acts 11:17 culminates his defense to the apostles and believers in Jerusalem, emphatically stating that since God Himself had bestowed the Holy Spirit upon the believing Gentiles in the same manner as He did upon Jewish believers, he, Peter, was in no position to obstruct God's clear divine initiative and plan for salvation. The verse underscores God's impartiality and sovereignty in granting salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, without requiring prior adherence to Jewish ceremonial law for Gentiles.
Acts 11 17 Context
Acts 11:17 is the powerful culmination of Peter's detailed explanation and defense before the Jerusalem church, specifically the circumcised believers, who were contending with him for having associated with uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 11:2-3). Prior to this, Acts 10 records Peter's visionary experience of the sheet filled with unclean animals, teaching him that God considers no person common or unclean, followed immediately by his call to visit the Roman centurion Cornelius. Peter witnesses the undeniable outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his household as he preaches the Gospel, mirroring the experience of Jewish believers at Pentecost. This verse highlights the profound paradigm shift in early Christian understanding—God's saving grace and Spirit were not exclusive to Jewish converts, but extended to Gentiles based solely on their faith in Jesus, thus dismantling the initial barrier between Jewish and Gentile believers in the burgeoning church. The historical context reflects a Jewish-centric early church grappling with the implications of the Great Commission and the radical inclusivity of the Gospel, challenging deeply held cultural and religious traditions.
Acts 11 17 Word analysis
- If then (εἰ οὖν - ei oun): A logical conclusion. Peter uses this to present a compelling and unavoidable deduction from the facts he has just laid out (Acts 11:4-16). It signifies "therefore, in light of these facts."
- God (ὁ Θεὸς - ho Theos): Emphasizes the divine actor. It was not Peter's choice, human policy, or mere circumstance, but the sovereign work of God Himself that initiated and brought about this event.
- gave them (ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς - edōken autois): Refers to Cornelius and his Gentile household. "Gave" (edōken) highlights God's initiative as a unilateral bestowal, a free gift. The aorist tense indicates a completed, decisive act.
- the same gift (τὴν ἴσην δωρεὰν - tēn isēn dōrean): "The gift" (dōrean) specifically refers to the Holy Spirit. "Same" (isēn) is critical here, directly implying parity. There was no lesser or different manifestation of the Spirit for the Gentiles, underscoring God's equitable treatment of all believers, whether Jew or Gentile.
- as He gave us (ὡς καὶ ἡμῖν - hōs kai hēmin): "Us" refers to Peter and the Jewish believers, particularly remembering their experience at Pentecost (Acts 2), when the Holy Spirit was first powerfully poured out upon the initial disciples of Jesus. This establishes an unmistakable theological equivalence.
- when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ (πιστεύσασιν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν - pisteusasīn epi ton Kyrion Iēsoun Christon): This phrase emphasizes that faith in Jesus Christ, not adherence to the Mosaic Law or any prior Jewish rituals, was the single, sufficient condition for receiving the Spirit. The full title "Lord Jesus Christ" affirms His deity, redemptive work, and Messiahship as the object of their faith.
- who was I (τίς ἤμην ἐγώ - tis ēmēn egō): A powerful rhetorical question demonstrating Peter's humility and complete surrender to God's undeniable will. It conveys his insignificance when faced with a clear divine command and demonstration of power.
- that I could stand in God's way? (κωλῦσαι τὸν Θεόν - kōlysai ton Theon): To "stand in God's way" means "to hinder," "to forbid," or "to prevent" (kōlysai). This highlights Peter's ultimate conviction: resisting the Gentiles' inclusion would effectively be resisting God Himself, an unthinkable act for a servant of Christ. This powerfully articulates the principle that no human authority or tradition should oppose God's sovereign saving work.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "If then God gave them the same gift as He gave us": This clause sets up an undeniable comparison and equality. The agency is God's ("God gave"), the recipients are universalized ("them" referring to Gentiles, "us" referring to Jews), and the gift is identical ("the same gift"), which is the Holy Spirit. This highlights God's impartiality in salvation history.
- "when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ": This phrase pinpoints the means of reception for both groups: faith. It elevates faith in Jesus Christ as the universal gateway to God's Spirit, making no distinction based on ethnic background, social status, or legalistic performance. This emphasizes the core of the Gospel's message of justification by faith.
- "who was I that I could stand in God's way?": This culminating rhetorical question encapsulates Peter's core argument and personal conviction. It implies absolute humility and submission to God's revealed will. Peter's profound realization means that any objection to Gentile inclusion is not merely an objection to his actions, but an outright opposition to God Himself, whose divine initiative is clear and undeniable.
Acts 11 17 Bonus section
- Theological Foundation for Mission: This verse provided a critical theological underpinning for the early church's future mission to the Gentiles. Once the leading apostles and elders in Jerusalem understood that God Himself had welcomed Gentiles unconditionally, the path was cleared for expansive evangelism and missionary journeys, particularly for Paul, the "apostle to the Gentiles."
- Humility of Leadership: Peter, as a prominent apostle, demonstrates remarkable humility by recognizing his subordinate position to God's will. This serves as a vital model for all spiritual leaders: to listen to, discern, and submit to divine direction, even when it is challenging or contrary to personal preference or prevailing group opinion.
- Unity in the Spirit: The "same gift" given to both Jews and Gentiles powerfully underscored the essential unity of the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the bond of peace and the unifier, transcending all cultural, ethnic, and social divisions that otherwise would hinder genuine fellowship and shared mission within the church.
- No works, just faith: The clear condition for receiving the Spirit highlighted by Peter—"when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ"—further solidified the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone, apart from works of the Law. This was a foundational truth upon which much of Paul's later theological arguments for justification by faith would build.
Acts 11 17 Commentary
Acts 11:17 is a pivotal verse in the narrative of early Christianity, marking a decisive theological and practical turning point regarding Gentile inclusion. Peter's defense emphasizes that the Spirit's descent upon Cornelius' household was a direct, sovereign act of God, echoing the Spirit's outpouring upon Jewish believers at Pentecost. The key message is that God demonstrates no favoritism; the reception of the Holy Spirit, which serves as both evidence of conversion and endowment for spiritual life, is universally available through simple faith in Jesus Christ. Peter's rhetorical question, "who was I that I could stand in God's way?", powerfully disarms his critics by elevating God's clear will above any human tradition, prejudice, or legalistic barrier. This profound recognition of divine authority ensured that the Christian message would not be confined to a Jewish sect but would expand, by God's own design, to embrace all nations. It established a precedent that the church must always submit to God's leading, even when it challenges established norms, affirming unity in Christ transcends all human distinctions.