Acts 11:17
in Acts 11So 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?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?
KJV
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
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This verse in Acts 11
Commentary
12 notes on this verseWhat we had, he says, they also received, for "God gave them the same gift as He gave to us." To shut their mouths, he says: "as to us." God does not allow, he says, that they should have less, if He gave an equal …
This site's exposition
I remembered the word
on Acts 11:16-18
Peter recalls the Lord's word, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, the promise of 1:5 now fulfilled in a Gentile house. Since God gave them the same gift He gave us, he asks who was I to hinder the work of God? The objectors fall silent and glorify God, saying God has granted even the Gentiles repentance that leads to life.
This site's exposition
who was I to hinder the work
The verb hinder is the one Peter used at 10:47 when he asked who could withhold the water. The eunuch asked the same at 8:36. Jew and Gentile alike received the gift on believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?" He shows that he had himself done nothing: for the very thing which we have obtained, he says, that same did those men receive. That he may more effectually stop their mouths, therefore he says, "The like gift." Do you perceive how he does not allow them to have less: when they believed, says he, the same gift did God give unto them, as He did to us who believed on the Lord, and Himself cleanses them. And he does not say, To you, but to us. Why do you feel aggrieved, when we call them partakers with us?
Peter showed in his defense that he had by no means been the cause, but God everywhere. For he said, he himself set me in the excess of mind, he himself pointed out the sheet, and I indeed even contradicted; again the same he himself …
What a defence is here! For he does not say, Then knowing these things, hold your peace; but what? He stands their attack, and to their impeachment he pleads - "What was I, that I should withstand God?" What a defence is here! For he does not say, Then knowing these things, hold your peace; but what? He stands their attack, and to their impeachment he pleads - "What was I, to be able to hinder God?" It was not possible for me to hinder - a forcible plea indeed, and such as might well put them to shame.
And he does not say, I ordered them to be baptized: but what says he? "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?" He shows that he had himself done nothing: for the very thing which we have obtained, he says, that same did those men receive.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And who are we that we should withstand God? Particularly by laying down rules of Christian communion which exclude any whom he has admitted into the Church of the first born, from worshipping God together. O that all Church governors would consider how bold an usurpation this is on the authority of the supreme Lord of the Church!
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift,....
(2.) Repentance is God's gift; it is not only his free grace that accepts it, but his mighty grace that works it in us, that takes away the heart of stone, and gives us a heart of flesh. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; it is he that provides himself this lamb.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
What was I - What power or right had I to oppose the manifest will of God that the Gentiles should be received into the Christian church. Withstand God - Oppose or resist God. He had indicated his will; he had showed his intention to save the Gentiles; and the prejudices of Peter were all overcome. One of the best means of destroying prejudice and false opinions is a powerful revival of religion. More erroneous doctrines and unholy feelings are overcome in such scenes than in all the bigoted and fierce contentions that have ever taken place.
God gave them the like gift, etc. - Viz. the Holy Spirit, and its various gifts and graces, in the same way and in the same measure in which he gave them to us Jews. What was I, that I could withstand God? It was not I who called them to salvation: it was God; and the thing is proved to be from God alone, for none other could dispense the Holy Spirit.
The words behind it
25 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| οὖν | oun | then | G3767 → | 497 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἴσην | isen | same | G2470 → | |
| δωρεὰν | dorean | gift | G1431 → | 11 times |
| ἔδωκεν | edoken | has given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | to them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡμῖν, | hemin | to us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πιστεύσασιν | pisteusasin | having believed | G4100 → | 237 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | on | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριον | kurion | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| Ἰησοῦν | iesoun | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| Χριστόν, | christon | Christ, | G5547 → | 523 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| τίς | tis | how | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἤμην | emen | was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| δυνατὸς | dunatos | able | G1415 → | 32 times |
| κωλῦσαι | kolusai | to forbid | G2967 → | 23 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεόν;¶ | theon | God? | G2316 → | 1312 times |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
οὖνthen
ounG3767 →497 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἴσηνsame
isenG2470 →
δωρεὰνgift
doreanG1431 →11 times
ἔδωκενhas given
edokenG1325 →412 times
αὐτοῖςto them
autoisG846 →5565 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡμῖν,to us
heminG3165 →1936 times
πιστεύσασινhaving believed
pisteusasinG4100 →237 times
ἐπὶon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
κύριονLord
kurionG2962 →711 times
ἸησοῦνJesus
iesounG2424 →908 times
Χριστόν,Christ,
christonG5547 →523 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
τίςhow
tisG5101 →563 times
ἤμηνwas
emenG1510 →2333 times
δυνατὸςable
dunatosG1415 →32 times
κωλῦσαιto forbid
kolusaiG2967 →23 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεόν;¶God?
theonG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 10:47“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!”
it leads to
- Acts 8:36
As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?”
- Acts 11:15–17
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.
- Romans 10:12
For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,
- Acts 15:8–9
And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
- Acts 8:36
Through
Job 33:13Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
it leads to
- Job 40:2
“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.”
- Isaiah 45:9
Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?
- Romans 11:34
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”
- Daniel 4:35
All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain…
- Job 40:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Acts
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 24; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles, Expositor's Greek Testament and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.