acts 11

Read Acts 11 at Bible Gateway.

Act 9:1-11:26 chiastic structure:

1a.1) Act 9:1-31, Saul persecuted the church but is converted when he encountered Yeshua;

1a.2) Act 9:32-43, A great many believed at Lydda and Joppa;

1a) Act 9:32, Peter also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda;

1b) Act 9:33-35, Miracle with Aeneas/ Lydda saw it and turned to the Lord;

1) Act 9:33a, There he found a certain man named Aeneas;
2) Act 9:33b, Who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed;
3) Act 9:34, Peter: “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately;
4) Act 9:35, So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord;

2b) Act 9:36-42, Miracle with Tabitha/ Joppa saw it and believed on the Lord;

1) Act 9:36, At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, full of good works;
2) Act 9:37a, But it happened in those days that she became sick and died;
3) Act 9:37-41, Peter: “Tabitha, arise.” She opened her eyes and sat up;
4) Act 9:42, And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord;

2a) Act 9:43, So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner;

1b.1) Act 10:1-44, Peter called to minister to Cornelius/ he + his household received the Holy Spirit;

1b.2) Act 10:45-46a, Those of the circumcision were astonished, because the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also;

1b.3) Act 10:46b-48, Peter: Can anyone forbid water for baptism, since these have received the gift of the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord;

central axis) Act 11:1, The apostles + brethren in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God;

2b.2) Act 11:2-3, When Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him: You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them;

2b.1) Act 11:4-15, But Peter explained what happened with Cornelius in order from the beginning;

2b.3) Act 11:16-18, If God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed, who was I to withstand God;

2a.1) Act 11:19a, Those who were scattered after the persecution traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, + Antioch;

2a.2) Act 11:19b-26, A great many believed at Antioch;

1a) Act 11:19b-20, They had come to Antioch, preaching to Jews + Hellenists;
1b) Act 11:21, The Lord was with them + a great number believed and turned to the Lord;
1c) Act 11:22, This news came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem + sent Barnabas to go as far as Antioch;
central axis) Act 11:23, When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord;
2c) Act 11:24a, For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith;
2b) Act 11:24b, And a great many people were added to the Lord;
2a) Act 11:25-26, Then Barnabas sought Saul + brought him to Antioch/ they assembled with the church teaching.

The central axis highlights the fact that the Gentiles also received the word of God and the Spirit of God, a pivotal event in the history of the church, of which the prophets of old prophesied. This was not done at the instigation of the apostles or the believers, but at the instigation of the Spirit of God, for the believers could not conceive of it, and many things had to happen to convince the believers (who loved the Lord and His word!) that these events, which centered around bringing the lost to faith in Messiah Yeshua, were indeed of God.

So believers, who love the Lord and His word, let us not be quick to trash a new move of the Spirit centered around bringing the lost to faith in Messiah Yeshua, for from the beginning this has been His work!