Acts 11

v.18

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

The believers in Jerusalem marvel that God has given “even the Gentiles” (cf. niv, nrsv; likelier than merely “also”—kjv, nasb, gnt) the gift. Jewish people believed that Gentiles could be saved by converting to Judaism; many also believed that Gentiles could be saved simply by being righteous, which for some meant keeping the seven laws God gave to Noah (according to developing Jewish tradition). But no one had believed that Gentiles could be welcomed on the same terms as Jewish people, who had been chosen for salvation by God’s sovereign *grace. More importantly, more conservative Jewish movements (such as the *Essenes) believed that even most Jewish people were lost, so the salvation of the Gentiles without fully embracing Judaism appeared difficult.

CraigKeener

v.19

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews.

v.23

When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

v.26

and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

v.28

One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)

v.29

The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea.