Focused Passage

Acts 11:1-18

Jerusalem Recognizes God’s Grace to the Gentiles

Peter defends Gentile inclusion, Jerusalem glorifies God, scattered believers preach to Greeks in Antioch, Barnabas and Saul teach the church, and the disciples show practical fellowship through famine relief.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him

3 and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

4 But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events:

5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me.

6 I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.

7 Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’

8 ‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

9 But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

10 This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.

11 Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.

12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.

13 He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.

14 He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.

16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

17 So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”

18 When they heard this, they had no further objections, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

The οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural apostles ἀπόστολοι G652 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural brothers ἀδελφοὶ G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv ὄντες G1510 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural throughout κατὰ G2596 Preposition - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular Judea Ἰουδαίαν G2449 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular soon δὲ G1161 Conjunction heard Ἤκουσαν G191 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction the τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural Gentiles ἔθνη G1484 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural also καὶ G2532 Conjunction had received ἐδέξαντο G1209 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular word λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 2

Original words

[So] δὲ G1161 Conjunction when Ὅτε G3753 Adverb Peter Πέτρος G4074 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular went up ἀνέβη G305 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ G2419 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular vvv οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv ἐκ G1537 Preposition [the] circumcised [believers] περιτομῆς G4061 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular took issue διεκρίνοντο G1252 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural with πρὸς G4314 Preposition him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally those of the circumcision
Verse 3

Original words

[and] said λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction You visited Εἰσῆλθες G1525 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular . . . πρὸς G4314 Preposition vvv ἔχοντας G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural uncircumcised ἀκροβυστίαν G203 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular men ἄνδρας G435 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction ate with συνέφαγες G4906 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Verse 4

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction Peter Πέτρος G4074 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular began Ἀρξάμενος G756 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular [and] explained ἐξετίθετο G1620 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular to them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural the whole sequence of events καθεξῆς G2517 Adverb - λέγων G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 5

Original words

I Ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular was ἤμην G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] city πόλει G4172 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of Joppa Ἰόππῃ G2445 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular praying προσευχόμενος G4336 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction in ἐν G1722 Preposition a trance ἐκστάσει G1611 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular I saw εἶδον G3708 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular a vision ὅραμα G3705 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular [of] something τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular . . . σκεῦός G4632 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular like ὡς G5613 Adverb a large μεγάλην G3173 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular sheet ὀθόνην G3607 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular vvv καταβαῖνον G2597 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular being let down καθιεμένην G2524 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Feminine Singular from ἐκ G1537 Preposition - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular heaven οὐρανοῦ G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular by [its] four τέσσαρσιν G5064 Adjective - Dative Feminine Plural corners ἀρχαῖς G746 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction it came right down to ἦλθεν G2064 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . ἄχρι G891 Preposition me ἐμοῦ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Verse 6

Original words

I looked ἀτενίσας G816 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular at εἰς G1519 Preposition it {closely} ἣν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular [and] saw κατενόουν G2657 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular . . . καὶ G2532 Conjunction . . . εἶδον G3708 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural four-footed animals τετράποδα G5074 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural wild beasts θηρία G2342 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural reptiles ἑρπετὰ G2062 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural birds πετεινὰ G4071 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular air οὐρανοῦ G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 7

Original words

Then δὲ G1161 Conjunction . . . καὶ G2532 Conjunction I heard ἤκουσα G191 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular a voice φωνῆς G5456 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular saying λεγούσης G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Feminine Singular to me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular Get up Ἀναστάς G450 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Peter Πέτρε G4074 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular kill θῦσον G2380 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction eat φάγε G5315 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Verse 8

Original words

No Μηδαμῶς G3365 Adverb Lord Κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular - δέ G1161 Conjunction I said Εἶπον G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular for ὅτι G3754 Conjunction nothing οὐδέποτε G3763 Adverb impure κοινὸν G2839 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular or G2228 Conjunction unclean ἀκάθαρτον G169 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular has {ever} entered εἰσῆλθεν G1525 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition my μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular mouth στόμα G4750 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally common; similarly in verse 9
Verse 9

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction the voice φωνὴ G5456 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular spoke Ἀπεκρίθη G611 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular from ἐκ G1537 Preposition - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular heaven οὐρανοῦ G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - «ἐκ G1537 Preposition a second [time] δευτέρου» G1208 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular - σὺ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb Do not call anything impure κοίνου G2840 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular that G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular has made clean ἐκαθάρισεν G2511 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 10

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction This Τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular happened ἐγένετο G1096 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular - ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition three times τρίς G5151 Adverb and καὶ G2532 Conjunction everything ἅπαντα G537 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural was drawn back up ἀνεσπάσθη G385 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular . . . πάλιν G3825 Adverb into εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular heaven οὐρανόν G3772 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 11

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction Just then ἰδοὺ G2400 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular . . . ἐξαυτῆς G1824 Adverb three τρεῖς G5140 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural men ἄνδρες G435 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural sent ἀπεσταλμένοι G649 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural to πρός G4314 Preposition me με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition Caesarea Καισαρείας G2542 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular stopped ἐπέστησαν G2186 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural at ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular house οἰκίαν G3614 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular vvv ἐν G1722 Preposition [where] G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular I was [staying] ἦμεν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Verse 12

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction The τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Spirit Πνεῦμά G4151 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular told εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular to accompany συνελθεῖν G4905 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural without μηδὲν G3367 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular hesitation διακρίναντα G1252 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction These οὗτοι G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural six ἓξ G1803 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural brothers ἀδελφοὶ G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural also καὶ G2532 Conjunction went ἦλθον G2064 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural with σὺν G4862 Preposition me ἐμοὶ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction we entered εἰσήλθομεν G1525 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular man’s ἀνδρός G435 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular home οἶκον G3624 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 13

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction He told ἀπήγγειλεν G518 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular us ἡμῖν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural how πῶς G4459 Conjunction he had seen εἶδεν G3708 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular an angel ἄγγελον G32 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular standing σταθέντα G2476 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular house οἴκῳ G3624 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction saying εἰπόντα G2036 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular Send Ἀπόστειλον G649 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition Joppa Ἰόππην G2445 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction [for] μετάπεμψαι G3343 Verb - Aorist Imperative Middle - 2nd Person Singular Simon Σίμωνα G4613 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular who τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular is called ἐπικαλούμενον G1941 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular Peter Πέτρον G4074 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

[He] ὃς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular will convey λαλήσει G2980 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to πρὸς G4314 Preposition you σὲ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular a message ῥήματα G4487 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural by ἐν G1722 Preposition which οἷς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Plural you σὺ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction all πᾶς G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular household οἶκός G3624 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular will be saved σωθήσῃ G4982 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Verse 15

Original words

[As] δὲ G1161 Conjunction I με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular - Ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular began ἄρξασθαί G756 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle to speak λαλεῖν G2980 Verb - Present Infinitive Active the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Holy Ἅγιον G40 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular Spirit Πνεῦμα G4151 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular fell ἐπέπεσεν G1968 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular upon ἐπ’ G1909 Preposition them αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural just as ὥσπερ G5618 Adverb [He had fallen] καὶ G2532 Conjunction upon ἐφ’ G1909 Preposition us ἡμᾶς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural at ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] beginning ἀρχῇ G746 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Verse 16

Original words

Then δὲ G1161 Conjunction I remembered ἐμνήσθην G3403 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Singular the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular word ῥήματος G4487 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Lord Κυρίου G2962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular how ὡς G5613 Adverb He said ἔλεγεν G2036 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John Ἰωάννης G2491 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular - μὲν G3303 Conjunction baptized ἐβάπτισεν G907 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular with water ὕδατι G5204 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction you ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural will be baptized βαπτισθήσεσθε G907 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Plural with ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] Holy Ἁγίῳ G40 Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular Spirit Πνεύματι G4151 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular

BSB notes

  • Or ‘John baptized in water, but in a few days you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ Acts 1:5
Verse 17

Original words

So οὖν G3767 Conjunction if εἰ G1487 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular gave ἔδωκεν G1325 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular same ἴσην G2470 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular gift δωρεὰν G1431 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - ὡς G5613 Adverb [He gave] καὶ G2532 Conjunction us ἡμῖν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural who believed πιστεύσασιν G4100 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural in ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Lord Κύριον G2962 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦν G2424 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Christ Χριστόν G5547 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular who τίς G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular was ἤμην G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular I ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular to δυνατὸς G1415 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular hinder [the work of] κωλῦσαι G2967 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular God Θεόν G2316 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

[When] δὲ G1161 Conjunction they heard Ἀκούσαντες G191 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural [this] ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural they had no further [objections] ἡσύχασαν G2270 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction they glorified ἐδόξασαν G1392 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular God Θεὸν G2316 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular saying λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural So then Ἄρα G686 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular has granted ἔδωκεν G1325 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular even καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Plural Gentiles ἔθνεσιν G1484 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular repentance μετάνοιαν G3341 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular unto εἰς G1519 Preposition life ζωὴν G2222 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.