Acts 11:17

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?”

King James Version (1611)
Forasmuch then as God gaue them the like gift as hee did vnto vs, who beleeued on the Lord Iesus Christ: what was I that I could withstand God?

King James Version
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?

English Standard Version
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?"

New American Standard Bible
"Therefore, if God gave them the same gift as He also gave to us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"

New Century Version
Since God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I stop the work of God?"

Amplified Bible
"So, if God gave Gentiles the same gift [equally] as He gave us after we accepted and believed and trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ [as Savior], who was I to interfere or stand in God's way?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could prevent God's way?"

Berean Standard Bible
So if God gave them the same gift as He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?"

Contemporary English Version
God gave those Gentiles the same gift that he gave us when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So how could I have gone against God?

Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore, if God gave them the same gift as he gave us after we had come to put our trust in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who was I to stand in God's way?"

Darby Translation
If then God has given them the same gift as also to us when we had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who indeed was *I* to be able to forbid God?

Easy-to-Read Version
God gave these people the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So how could I object to what God wanted to do?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
For as much then as God gaue them a like gift, as he did vnto vs, when we beleeued in the Lorde Iesus Christ, who was I, that I coulde let God?

George Lamsa Translation
Now, therefore, if God has equally given the gifts to the Gentiles who believe in our LORD Jesus Christ, just as he gave to us, who am I that I should dispute God?

Good News Translation
It is clear that God gave those Gentiles the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; who was I, then, to try to stop God!"

Lexham English Bible
Therefore if God gave them the same gift as also to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?"

Literal Translation
Then if God gave the same gift to them as also to us, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, and I, who was I to be able to prevent God?

American Standard Version
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?

Bible in Basic English
If then God gave them, when they had faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the same as he gave to us, who was I to go against God?

Hebrew Names Version
If then God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who was I, that I could withstand God?"

International Standard Version
Now if God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to try to stop God?"Acts 10:47; 15:8-9;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
If then Aloha equally hath given the gift to the Gentiles who have believed in our Lord Jeshu Meshiha as we, who was I, that I should be sufficient to prohibit Aloha ?

Murdock Translation
If then God equally gave the gift to the Gentiles that believed in our Lord Jesus Messiah, as he did to us: who was I, that I could forbid God?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For as much then, as God gaue them the lyke gyft as he dyd vnto vs, when we beleued on the Lorde Iesus Christ: what was I, that I shoulde haue withstande God?

English Revised Version
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?

World English Bible
If then God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
If then God gave to them the same gift as even to us, having believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that could withstand God?

Weymouth's New Testament
"If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was I to be able to thwart God?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor if God yaf to hem the same grace, as to vs that bileueden in the Lord Jhesu Crist, who was Y, that myyte forbeede the Lord, that he yyue not the Hooli Goost to hem that bileueden in the name of Jhesu Crist?

Update Bible Version
If then God gave to them the like gift as [he did] also to us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?

Webster's Bible Translation
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as [he did] to us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could withstand God?

New English Translation
Therefore if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder God?"

New King James Version
If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"

New Living Translation
And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God's way?"

New Life Bible
If God gave to them the same gift He gave to us after we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I stand against God?"

New Revised Standard
If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If therefore the like free-gift God gave unto them, as even unto us, when we had believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was, I, that could withstand God?

Douay-Rheims Bible
If then God gave them the same grace as to us also who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ: who was I, that could withstand God?

Revised Standard Version
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 withstand God?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For as moche then as God gave the lyke gyftes as he dyd vnto vs when we beleved on the Lorde Iesus Christ: what was I that I shuld have with stonde God?

Young's Literal Translation
if then the equal gift God did give to them as also to us, having believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, I -- how was I able to withstand God?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For as moch then as God hath geuen them like giftes, as vnto vs, which beleue on the LORDE Iesus Christ, who was I, that I shulde be able to withstode God?

Mace New Testament (1729)
if therefore God has bestow'd the same favour upon them, as on us, after we had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I make any opposition to the divine will?

Simplified Cowboy Version
It was God who did the givin', not me. And if God is givin' outsiders the same thing he gave insiders, then who am I to question that?"

Contextual Overview

¹The news traveled fast and in no time the leaders and friends back in Jerusalem heard about it—heard that the non-Jewish "outsiders" were now "in." When Peter got back to Jerusalem, some of his old associates, concerned about circumcision, called him on the carpet: "What do you think you're doing rubbing shoulders with that crowd, eating what is prohibited and ruining our good name?" ⁴So Peter, starting from the beginning, laid it out for them step-by-step: "Recently I was in the town of Joppa praying. I fell into a trance and saw a vision: Something like a huge blanket, lowered by ropes at its four corners, came down out of heaven and settled on the ground in front of me. Milling around on the blanket were farm animals, wild animals, reptiles, birds—you name it, it was there. Fascinated, I took it all in. ⁷"Then I heard a voice: ‘Go to it, Peter—kill and eat.' I said, ‘Oh, no, Master. I've never so much as tasted food that wasn't kosher.' The voice spoke again: ‘If God says it's okay, it's okay.' This happened three times, and then the blanket was pulled back up into the sky. ¹¹"Just then three men showed up at the house where I was staying, sent from Caesarea to get me. The Spirit told me to go with them, no questions asked. So I went with them, I and six friends, to the man who had sent for me. He told us how he had seen an angel right in his own house, real as his next-door neighbor, saying, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, the one they call Peter. He'll tell you something that will save your life—in fact, you and everyone you care for.' ¹⁵"So I started in, talking. Before I'd spoken half a dozen sentences, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as he did on us the first time. I remembered Jesus' words: ‘John baptized with water; you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' So I ask you: If God gave the same exact gift to them as to us when we believed in the Master Jesus Christ, how could I object to God?" ¹⁸ Hearing it all laid out like that, they quieted down. And then, as it sank in, they started praising God. "It's really happened! God has broken through to the other nations, opened them up to Life!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as God: Acts 11:15, Acts 15:8, Acts 15:9, Matthew 20:14, Matthew 20:15, Romans 9:15, Romans 9:16, Romans 9:23, Romans 9:24, Romans 11:34-36

what: Acts 10:47, Job 9:12-14, Job 33:13, Job 40:2, Job 40:8, Job 40:9, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:20-26

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:50 - we 2 Chronicles 20:6 - none is able Isaiah 60:5 - thou shalt see Mark 7:28 - yet Acts 8:20 - the gift Acts 23:9 - let Romans 14:4 - Who 1 Corinthians 1:6 - was 1 Thessalonians 2:16 - Forbidding Hebrews 6:4 - and have

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift,.... Of the Spirit, of speaking with divers tongues:

as he did unto us; the apostles: who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ: which clause stands either connected with "us" the apostles, and so is descriptive of them who first believed in Christ, and became followers of him; or with "them" the Gentiles, as the Syriac version renders it, "if therefore God gave that gift equally to these Gentiles which believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, as unto us"; for it seems most likely, that faith in Christ came by hearing Peter's discourse, before the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit fell upon them:

what was I that I could withstand God? or hinder the baptism of these persons in water, whom God baptized with the Holy Ghost, and who believed in Christ Jesus: from whence it appears that the Spirit of God is a gift, which he bestows on whomsoever he pleases, without any desert of man's, and that both in his extraordinary operations, and in the common influences of his grace; for it is equally the gift of God to believe in Christ, which is a grace of the Spirit, as it was to speak with divers tongues; and these, though they did not always go together, yet here they did, as on the apostles, so on Cornelius and his house: and hence they became qualified for the ordinance of baptism; not by the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, but by his special grace; the extraordinary gifts were partly to confirm the Gospel preached unto them by Peter; and partly to assure him that he was right in going in to the Gentiles, and preaching to them; and to encourage him to baptize these persons who appeared to have also the grace of the Spirit, and to have believed in Christ; as well as to fit them, at least some of them, for public work and service: and now faith in Christ being a pre-requisite to baptism, and it being the will of Christ, and what he gave in commission to his disciples to baptize such as believed in him, and these being apparently such; to have refused to administer baptism to them, would have been acting contrary to the commission of Christ, a withstanding the will of God, and opposing the grace of the Spirit of God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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. If people wish to root error out of the church, they should strive by all means to promote everywhere revivals of pure and undefiled religion. The Holy Spirit more easily and effectually silences false doctrine, and destroys heresy, than all the denunciations of fierce theologians; all the alarms of heated zealots for orthodoxy; and all the anathemas which professed love for the purity of the church ever utters from the icebergs on which such champions usually seek their repose and their home.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 11:17. God gave them the like gift, c.] 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.