◄ Acts 11:12 ►
The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's home.
Study Bible
The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation.

This phrase highlights the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit, a recurring theme in Acts, emphasizing the Spirit's role in the early Church's expansion. The Holy Spirit's instruction to Peter reflects the divine initiative in breaking Jewish-Gentile barriers, aligning with the vision Peter received in Acts 10. The phrase "without hesitation" underscores the urgency and importance of obedience to God's command, reminiscent of Abraham's immediate response to God's call in Genesis 12:1-4. This divine direction is crucial in the narrative, as it leads to the inclusion of Gentiles in the Christian community, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 49:6 about being a light to the nations.

Act 10:19-20 As Peter continued to reflect on the vision…
Act 10:29 So when I was invited, I came without objection.…
Act 15:8-9 And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval…

These six brothers also went with me,

The mention of "six brothers" provides a legal and communal witness to the events that transpired, as Jewish law often required multiple witnesses to establish a matter (Deuteronomy 19:15). This detail underscores the importance of accountability and shared testimony in the early Church. The presence of these brothers also highlights the communal nature of the early Christian mission, where significant actions were taken with the support and verification of the community. This aligns with the practice seen in Acts 15, where the Jerusalem Council deliberates on Gentile inclusion with multiple witnesses and testimonies.

Act 10:23 So Peter invited them in as his guests.…
Act 10:45 All the circumcised believers were astounded…
Act 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us…

and we entered the man’s home.

Entering a Gentile's home was a significant cultural and religious boundary for Jews, as it could lead to ceremonial uncleanliness (Acts 10:28). This act symbolizes the breaking down of barriers between Jews and Gentiles, a central theme in the book of Acts. It reflects the fulfillment of Jesus' ministry, who often crossed social and cultural boundaries (John 4:9-10). This action by Peter and his companions signifies the new covenant in Christ, where all are welcome into the family of God, as echoed in Ephesians 2:14-16, which speaks of Christ breaking down the dividing wall of hostility.

Act 10:24-25 The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius…
Act 10:27-28 As Peter talked with him, he went inside…
Act 10:30-33 Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Peter
The apostle who is recounting his experience of being led by the Holy Spirit to visit Cornelius, a Gentile.

2. The Holy Spirit
The third person of the Trinity, who directs Peter to go with the men sent by Cornelius.

3. The Six Brothers
Jewish believers who accompany Peter to Cornelius's house, serving as witnesses to the event.

4. Cornelius
A Roman centurion whose household becomes the first recorded Gentile group to receive the Holy Spirit.

5. Caesarea
The city where Cornelius lives, and where Peter travels to meet him.
Teaching Points
Obedience to the Holy Spirit
Peter's willingness to follow the Spirit's guidance without hesitation is a model for believers. We should be attentive and responsive to the Spirit's leading in our lives.

Breaking Down Barriers
The inclusion of Gentiles into the faith community challenges us to examine and dismantle any prejudices or barriers we may hold against others.

Witness and Accountability
The presence of the six brothers highlights the importance of having witnesses and accountability in ministry endeavors.

God's Sovereignty in Evangelism
The orchestration of events leading to Cornelius's conversion shows God's sovereign hand in bringing people to faith. We should trust God's timing and methods in evangelism.

Unity in Diversity
The early church's expansion to include Gentiles reminds us of the beauty and strength found in a diverse body of believers united in Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Peter's response to the Holy Spirit's direction in Acts 11:12 challenge your own responsiveness to God's leading in your life?

2. In what ways can you actively work to break down barriers between different groups within your community or church, as seen in Peter's actions?

3. Why is it important to have witnesses and accountability in ministry, and how can you implement this in your own service to God?

4. Reflect on a time when you saw God's sovereignty at work in bringing someone to faith. How does this encourage you in your evangelistic efforts?

5. How can the unity of Jews and Gentiles in the early church inspire us to embrace diversity within our own faith communities today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Acts 10
This chapter provides the background to Acts 11:12, detailing Peter's vision and the initial encounter with Cornelius.

Matthew 28:19-20
The Great Commission, where Jesus commands His disciples to make disciples of all nations, is being fulfilled as Peter reaches out to Gentiles.

Galatians 3:28
This verse speaks to the breaking down of barriers between Jew and Gentile, which is exemplified in Peter's actions.

John 16:13
Jesus promises that the Spirit of truth will guide believers, which is evident in the Spirit's direction to Peter.

Ephesians 2:14-18
Paul discusses the unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ, a theme that is central to the events of Acts 11.
Sermons
Rectification and EnlargementW. Clarkson Acts 11:1-18
The Church of God Set on the New Foundation of LibertyR.A. Redford Acts 11:1-18
The Spirit of Sect and the Spirit of the GospelE. Johnson Acts 11:1-18
The Efficient Answer to ObjectorsR. Tuck Acts 11:4-17
People
Agabus, Barnabas, Christians, Claudius, Cyprians, Cyrenians, Grecians, John, Peter, Saul, Simon, Stephen
Places
Caesarea, Cyprus, Cyrene, Jerusalem, Joppa, Judea, Phoenicia, Syrian Antioch, Tarsus
Topics
Accompanied, Accompany, Bade, Brethren, Brothers, Centurion's, Discriminating, Distinction, Doubting, Enter, Entered, Hesitation, Making, Man's, Misgivings, Moreover, Nothing, Orders, Present, Reached, Six, Spirit
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Acts 11:12

     3025   Holy Spirit, personality
     3130   Holy Spirit, Counsellor
     4018   life, spiritual
     5037   mind, of Christ
     5877   hesitation
     7028   church, life of
     8426   evangelism, motivation

Acts 11:1-18

     5250   centurion
     7525   exclusiveness

Acts 11:1-22

     7241   Jerusalem, significance

Acts 11:4-17

     7730   explanation

Acts 11:4-18

     1457   trance

Acts 11:5-12

     1469   visions

Acts 11:5-18

     7512   Gentiles, in NT

Library
April 27 Evening
A new name.--REV. 2:17. The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.--Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.--They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.--Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

The Exhortation of Barnabas
[Footnote: Preached before the Congregational Union of England and Wales.] 'Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.'--ACTS xi. 23. The first purely heathen converts had been brought into the Church by the nameless men of Cyprus and Cyrene, private persons with no office or commission to preach, who, in simple obedience to the instincts of a Christian heart, leaped the barrier which seemed impassable …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

A Nickname Accepted
'The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch' --ACTS xi. 26. Nations and parties, both political and religious, very often call themselves by one name, and are known to the outside world by another. These outside names are generally given in contempt; and yet they sometimes manage to hit the very centre of the characteristics of the people on whom they are bestowed, and so by degrees get to be adopted by them, and worn as an honour. So it has been with the name 'Christian.' It was given …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Peter's Apologia
'And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3. Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. 4. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5. I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The First Preaching at Antioch
'And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they ware come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.'--ACTS xi. 20, 21. Thus simply does the historian tell one of the greatest events in the history of the Church. How great it was will appear if we observe that the weight of authority among critics and commentators sees here an extension of the message of salvation …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Repentance unto Life
By "Repentance unto life," I think we are to understand that repentance which is accompanied by spiritual life in the soul, and ensures eternal life to every one who possesses it. "Repentance unto life," I say, brings with it spiritual life, or rather, is the first consequent thereof. There are repentances which are not signs of life, except of natural life, because they are only effected by the power of the conscience and the voice of nature speaking in men; but the repentance here spoken of is …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Completion Op the Fifth Continental Journey.
1849-50. The disorganized state of Germany presented a serious obstacle to John and Martha Yeardley's resuming their labors on the Continent. FROM JOHN YEARDLEY TO JOHN KITCHING. Scarborough, 6 mo. 23, 1849. We spent two days at Malton with our dear friends Ann and Esther Priestman, in their delightful new abode on the bank of the river: we were comforted in being at meeting with them on First-day. On Second-day we came to Scarborough, and soon procured two rooms near our own former residence. The …
John Yeardley—Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel

From the Ascension to the Church at Antioch.
Acts Chs. 1-12. The Book of Acts. The book of Acts is the only purely historical book of the New Testament. It is as a continuation of the gospel of Luke. It follows the fortunes of the infant church and gives us all the light we have in regard to its further organization and development, but it does not claim to be a complete history of the work of the early church. As a history it is as remarkable for what it omits as for what it narrates. The central theme is the triumph and progress of the gospel …
Josiah Blake Tidwell—The Bible Period by Period

Repentance
Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' Acts 11: 18. Repentance seems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of sin. By some Antinomian spirits it is cried down as a legal doctrine; but Christ himself preached it. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent,' &c. Matt 4: 17. In his last farewell, when he was ascending to heaven, he commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name.' Luke 24: 47. Repentance is a pure gospel grace. …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Some Associated Questions
A BRIEF reference to some of the other difficulties, which have been found in Luke's references to matters of contemporary history, will form a fitting conclusion to this study. In some cases all that is wanted to solve the difficulty is proper understanding of Luke's words. That, for example, is the case with Acts 11:28, where the statement, that in the days of Claudius there was famine over all the world, has been misinterpreted to imply that harvests failed and a famine ensued in every part of …
Sir William Mitchell Ramsay—Was Christ Born in Bethlehem?

What God Hath Cleansed
'There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2. A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Breaking Out of Discord
'And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Rome Protects Paul
'And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the Temple, I was in a trance; 18. And saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning Me. 19. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on Thee: 20. And when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Knowledge and Obedience.
"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father."--COL. i. 9-12. The Epistles …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

Other New Testament Names for "Being Filled with the Spirit. "
That we may see how full the New Testament is of this blessing, and that we may the better understand what it is and how it is obtained, let us just glance at some other terms used by the Holy Ghost when speaking of it. 1. "Baptized with the Holy Ghost." "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts i. 5). See also Acts xi. 16, Matt. iii. 11, Mark i. 8, Luke iii. 16, John i. 33. Now, though "baptized" and "filled" are sometimes convertible terms, it is instructive to note …
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life

Luke.
Lucas, Evangelii el medicinae munera pandens; Artibus hinc, illinc religione, valet: Utilis ille labor, per quem vixere tot aegri; Utilior, per quem tot didicere mori!" Critical and Biographical Schleiermacher: Ueber die Schriften des Lukas. Berlin, 1817. Reprinted in the second vol. of his Sämmtliche Werke, Berlin, 1836 (pp. 1-220). Translated by Bishop Thirlwall, London, 1825. James Smith (of Jordanhill, d. 1867): Dissertation on the Life and Writings of St. Luke, prefixed to his Voyage and …
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

For if they be Urged from the Gospel that they Should Put Nothing By...
31. For if they be urged from the Gospel that they should put nothing by for the morrow, they most rightly answer, "Why then had the Lord Himself a bag in which to put by the money which was collected? [2572] Why so long time beforehand, on occasion of impending famine, were supplies of corn sent to the holy fathers? [2573] Why did Apostles in such wise provide things necessary for the indigence of saints lest there should be lack thereafter, that most blessed Paul should thus write to the Corinthians …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

As it Is, However, They, against the Apostle of Christ...
27. As it is, however, they, against the Apostle of Christ, recite a Gospel of Christ. For so marvellous are the works of the sluggards, hindered that they want to have that very thing by Gospel, which the Apostle enjoined and did on purpose that the Gospel itself should not be hindered. And yet, if from the very words of the Gospel we should compel them to live agreeably with their way of understanding it, they will be the first to endeavor to persuade us how they are not to be understood so as …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

Whether Chrism is a Fitting Matter for this Sacrament?
Objection 1: It seems that chrism is not a fitting matter for this sacrament. For this sacrament, as stated above (A[1], ad 1), was instituted by Christ when He promised His disciples the Holy Ghost. But He sent them the Holy Ghost without their being anointed with chrism. Moreover, the apostles themselves bestowed this sacrament without chrism, by the mere imposition of hands: for it is written (Acts 8:17) that the apostles "laid their hands upon" those who were baptized, "and they received the …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

How Does it Come?
How does the Filling of the Spirit come? "Does it come once for all? or is it always coming, as it were?" was a question addressed to me once by a young candidate for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. There are many asking the same question. We have considered how the Fullness is obtained, but now we proceed to consider, How does the Fullness come? In speaking of the blessing of being filled with the Spirit, the New Testament writers use three tenses in the Greek--the Aorist, the Imperfect, and the …
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life

The Ministry of Angels.
1 High on a hill of dazzling light, The King of Glory spreads his seat, And troops of angels stretch'd for flight, Stand waiting round his awful feet. 2 "Go," saith the Lord, "my Gabriel go, "Salute the virgin's fruitful womb,[1] "Make haste, ye cherubs, down below, Sing and proclaim the Saviour come." 3 Here a bright squadron leaves the skies, And thick around Elisha stands;[2] Anon a heavenly soldier flies, And breaks the chains from Peter's hands.[3] 4 Thy winged troops, O God of hosts, Wait on …
Isaac Watts—Hymns and Spiritual Songs

As That, "Take no Thought for the Morrow...
29. As that, "Take no thought for the morrow," and, "Take therefore no thought what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or what ye shall put on." [2344] Now when we see that the Lord Himself had a bag in which was put what was given, [2345] that it might be kept for necessary uses as the time should require; and that the Apostles themselves made much provision for the indigence of the brethren, not only for the morrow, but even for the more protracted time of impending dearth, as we read in the …
St. Augustine—On Lying

Links
Acts 11:12 NIV
Acts 11:12 NLT
Acts 11:12 ESV
Acts 11:12 NASB
Acts 11:12 KJV

Acts 11:12 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Acts 11:11
Top of Page
Top of Page