And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
ACTS 11:13KJVWhat does Acts 11:13 mean?
Acts 11:13 describes how a man explained that he had seen an angel in his house, who told him to send men to Joppa and call for Simon, also known as Peter. The verse highlights a specific message from an angel, directing the man to seek out Peter for further instruction.
In this scene, Peter is recounting to other believers in Jerusalem what happened with Cornelius, a Roman centurion. Cornelius had a vision in which an angel appeared in his home and gave him clear instructions to find Peter in the city of Joppa. This sets the stage for the meeting between Peter and Cornelius, which is significant because it leads to the spread of the gospel to non-Jewish people.
The Greek behind Acts 11:13
- ἄγγελος (angelos, "angel"): This word means "messenger" and often refers to a supernatural being sent by God. The use of ἄγγελος here emphasizes that the message Cornelius received was seen as coming directly from God, not just a personal thought or dream.
- ἀνὴρ (anēr, "men"): The Greek word used for "men" specifically refers to adult males, highlighting that Cornelius was to send trustworthy representatives.
- Ἰόππη (Ioppē, "Joppa"): Naming the city makes the instructions precise and shows the historical and geographical detail in the account.
Why Acts 11:13 matters
- Acts 11:13 clarifies that Cornelius’s actions were not self-initiated but were in response to a direct divine message, which helps explain why Peter later defends his visit to a Gentile household.
- The verse highlights the careful and specific guidance God gave to bring Peter and Cornelius together, showing the intentional expansion of the early Christian movement beyond Jewish boundaries.
- This account helps readers understand the importance of Peter’s later realization that the message of Jesus was meant for all people, not just for Jews.