Peter defends his Gentile table fellowship before the Jerusalem circumcision party by recounting the Joppa vision, the Spirit's command to accompany Cornelius' messengers without distinction, and the Holy Spirit's identical falling on Gentiles as on Jews at Pentecost. The accusers fall silent and glorify God that He has granted even Gentiles repentance leading to life. Meanwhile, persecution scatters believers who preach to Jews only, but some from Cyprus and Cyrene speak to Greeks in Antioch where many believe, prompting Jerusalem to send Barnabas who rejoices, encourages, and brings Saul from Tarsus to teach the church for a year, where disciples are first called Christians and send famine relief to Judean brothers through Barnabas and Saul.
Read Acts Chapter 11 Summary
Characters in This Chapter
Places in This Chapter
Caesarea Maritima was a grand Roman port city built by Herod the Great. Peter preached to the Roman centurion Cornelius here, opening Christianity to the Gentiles. Paul was imprisoned here for two years and made his defense before Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa.
Cyprus is a large island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It was the home of Barnabas and an early destination for Christian missionaries. Paul and Barnabas began their first missionary journey here. The proconsul Sergius Paulus became a believer when Paul blinded the sorcerer Elymas.
Position in Book
Philip, Paul's conversion, Peter and Cornelius.
Bible Bites
The Gospel Spreads in 28 Chapters
The book of Acts contains 28 chapters chronicling the explosive growth of the early church from Jerusalem to Rome. Written by Luke as a sequel to his Gospel, it begins with 120 believers in an upper room and ends with Paul preaching boldly in the capital of the Roman Empire.
ActsThe narrator joins the story
In Acts 16:10, Luke suddenly switches from 'they' to 'we,' revealing he personally joined Paul's missionary journey. These 'we passages' (Acts 16, 20-21, 27-28) provide eyewitness accounts showing Luke was present for key events including Paul's shipwreck.
Acts 16:10