The Meaning of Acts 11:15 Explained

Acts 11:15

KJV: And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

YLT: 'And in my beginning to speak, the Holy Spirit did fall upon them, even as also upon us in the beginning,

Darby: And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them even as upon us also at the beginning.

ASV: And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  as  I  began  to speak,  the Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them,  as  on  us  at  the beginning. 

What does Acts 11:15 Mean?

Study Notes

as on us
even as on us. Cf. Acts 2:1-4 ; Acts 15:7-9 .

Context Summary

Acts 11:1-18 - Following A Plain Course
It is very interesting here to find Peter on the defensive. We have always thought of him as masterful and strong, the born leader of men, whose authority was absolutely indisputable. But here we see him taken seriously to task by the mother Church, and compelled to show the grounds of his unprecedented action. Here also appears the first clear indication of the rift which was, in due course, to develop in the Church, between the converted Jews, who insisted that Gentiles must become Jews before becoming Christians, and those of more liberal views, who began to understand that in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availed anything, but a new creature, Galatians 6:15, and faith working by love, Galatians 5:6. This division was the cause of Paul's embittered and life-long persecution.
But the first decision of those in the church in Jerusalem was a perfectly just one, Acts 11:18. The facts compelled a favorable verdict upon Peter's action. They tacitly confessed that the seal of God's approval had been unmistakably affixed to his action, and that he had no alternative. When a man lives in union with the Spirit of God, crooked things become straight and rough places plain, Isaiah 40:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 11

1  Peter, being accused for preaching to the Gentiles,
5  makes his defense;
18  which is accepted
19  The gospel being spread in Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch,
22  Barnabas is sent to confirm them
26  The disciples are first called Christians at Antioch
27  They send relief to the brothers in Judea in time of famine

Greek Commentary for Acts 11:15

As I began to speak [εν τωι αρχασται με λαλειν]
Εν — En with the locative of the articular aorist infinitive αρχασται — arxasthai (punctiliar action simply) and the accusative of general reference. The second infinitive λαλειν — lalein (to speak) is dependent on αρχασται — arxasthai “In the beginning to speak as to me.” [source]
Even as on us at the beginning [ωσπερ και επ ημας εν αρχηι]
Peter recalls vividly the events at Pentecost, the speaking with tongues and all. It is noteworthy that Peter does not here repeat his sermon. “He rests his defence, not on what he said, but on what God did” (Furneaux). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 11:15

Acts 10:44 The Holy Ghost fell [επεπεσεν το πνευμα το αγιον]
Second aorist active indicative of επιπιπτω — epipiptō old verb to fall upon, to recline, to come upon. Used of the Holy Spirit in Acts 8:16; Acts 10:44; Acts 11:15. It appears that Peter was interrupted in his sermon by this remarkable event. The Jews had received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4), the Samaritans (Acts 8:17), and now Gentiles. But on this occasion it was before baptism, as was apparently true in Paul‘s case (Acts 9:17.). In Acts 8:16; Acts 19:5 the hands of the apostles were also placed after baptism on those who received the Holy Spirit. Here it was unexpected by Peter and by Cornelius and was indubitable proof of the conversion of these Gentiles who had accepted Peter‘s message and had believed on Jesus Christ as Saviour. [source]
Acts 10:46 Speak [λαλουντων]
Present active participle, speaking, for they kept it up. With tongues (γλωσσαις — glōssais). Instrumental case as in Acts 2:4, Acts 2:11 which see. The fuller statement there makes it clear that here it was new and strange tongues also as in Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 14:4-19. This sudden manifestation of the Holy Spirit‘s power on uncircumcised Gentiles was probably necessary to convince Peter and the six brethren of the circumcision that God had opened the door wide to Gentiles. It was proof that a Gentile Pentecost had come and Peter used it effectively in his defence in Jerusalem (Acts 11:15). [source]
Acts 10:46 With tongues [γλωσσαις]
Instrumental case as in Acts 2:4, Acts 2:11 which see. The fuller statement there makes it clear that here it was new and strange tongues also as in Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 14:4-19. This sudden manifestation of the Holy Spirit‘s power on uncircumcised Gentiles was probably necessary to convince Peter and the six brethren of the circumcision that God had opened the door wide to Gentiles. It was proof that a Gentile Pentecost had come and Peter used it effectively in his defence in Jerusalem (Acts 11:15). [source]
Acts 11:4 Expounded [εχετιτετο]
Imperfect middle of εκτιτημι — ektithēmi to set forth, old verb, but in the N.T. only in Acts (Acts 7:21; Acts 11:4; Acts 18:26; Acts 28:23), a deliberate and detailed narrative “in order” Old word for in succession. In the N.T. only in Luke 1:2; Luke 8:1; Acts 3:24; Acts 11:14; Acts 18:23. Luke evidently considered this defence of Peter important and he preserves the marks of authenticity. It came originally from Peter himself (Acts 11:5, Acts 11:6, Acts 11:15, Acts 11:16). “The case of Cornelius was a test case of primary importance” (Page), “the first great difficulty of the early Church.” Part of the story Luke gives three times (Acts 10:3-6, Acts 10:30-32; Acts 11:13.). See the discussion chapter 10 for details given here. [source]
Acts 2:4 With other tongues [ετεραις γλωσσαις]
Other than their native tongues. Each one began to speak in a language that he had not acquired and yet it was a real language and understood by those from various lands familiar with them. It was not jargon, but intelligible language. Jesus had said that the gospel was to go to all the nations and here the various tongues of earth were spoken. One might conclude that this was the way in which the message was to be carried to the nations, but future developments disprove it. This is a third miracle (the sound, the tongues like fire, the untaught languages). There is no blinking the fact that Luke so pictures them. One need not be surprised if this occasion marks the fulfilment of the Promise of the Father. But one is not to confound these miraculous signs with the Holy Spirit. They are merely proof that he has come to carry on the work of his dispensation. The gift of tongues came also on the house of Cornelius at Caesarea (Acts 10:44-47; Acts 11:15-17), the disciples of John at Ephesus (Acts 19:6), the disciples at Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:1-33). It is possible that the gift appeared also at Samaria (Acts 8:18). But it was not a general or a permanent gift. Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 14:22 that “tongues” were a sign to unbelievers and were not to be exercised unless one was present who understood them and could translate them. This restriction disposes at once of the modern so-called tongues which are nothing but jargon and hysteria. It so happened that here on this occasion at Pentecost there were Jews from all parts of the world, so that some one would understand one tongue and some another without an interpreter such as was needed at Corinth. The experience is identical in all four instances and they are not for edification or instruction, but for adoration and wonder and worship. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 11:15 mean?

In then - beginning my to speak fell the Spirit - Holy upon them even as also upon us in [the] beginning
Ἐν δὲ τῷ ἄρξασθαί με λαλεῖν ἐπέπεσεν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ὥσπερ καὶ ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς ἐν ἀρχῇ

τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἄρξασθαί  beginning 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Middle
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
με  my 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
λαλεῖν  to  speak 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
ἐπέπεσεν  fell 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιπίπτω  
Sense: to fall upon, to rush or press upon.
Πνεῦμα  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἅγιον  Holy 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἅγιος  
Sense: most holy thing, a saint.
ἐπ’  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ὥσπερ  even  as 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὥσπερ  
Sense: just as, even as.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἐφ’  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ἡμᾶς  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἐν  in  [the] 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐν 
Sense: in, by, with etc.
ἀρχῇ  beginning 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀρχή  
Sense: beginning, origin.

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