Acts 11:15

15 As I began to speak, ¹the Holy Spirit fell on them ²just as on us at the beginning.

Acts 11:15 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 11:15

And as I began to speak
, That is, whilst he was speaking; the word "begin" with Luke, both, in his Gospel and in this history, is used not to denote the time or order of any action, but the thing itself; as in ( Luke 4:21 ) ( 20:9 ) ( Acts 1:1 ) for otherwise it was towards the close, and not at the beginning of his discourse, that what follows happened:

the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning;
of our ministry, since the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ; meaning on the day of Pentecost, and that the Holy Ghost fell on Cornelius and those that were with him, in a like visible form, and in the same kind of gifts, as speaking with tongues, as on them.

Acts 11:15 In-Context

13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter;

14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.

16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"

Cross References

• 1. Acts 10:44
• 2. Acts 2:4