Acts 11-13

Acts 11-13

Acts 11: Peter Defends His Actions and the Church in Antioch
After the events with Cornelius, Peter returns to Jerusalem, where he faces criticism from Jewish believers for associating with Gentiles. He defends his actions by recounting the vision he had and how the Holy Spirit descended on Cornelius and his household. Hearing this, the critics are silenced, praising God for granting repentance leading to life even to the Gentiles. The chapter also mentions believers scattering because of Stephen's persecution. Some of them reach Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, spreading the word only to Jews. However, in Antioch, some preach to the Greeks as well, leading to a large number of converts. The church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas to assess the situation. Seeing the grace of God at work, Barnabas fetches Saul from Tarsus to assist him in teaching the growing community. It's in Antioch that the disciples are first called "Christians."

Acts 12: James’ Martyrdom and Peter’s Miraculous Escape
King Herod Agrippa begins to persecute the church. He has James, the brother of John, executed and seeing the approval from the Jews, proceeds to arrest Peter. Peter is imprisoned, awaiting trial after Passover. The night before the trial, while the church prays fervently for him, an angel miraculously frees Peter from prison. He goes to the house of Mary, where many believers are praying for him. Initially, they don’t believe it’s Peter at the door, thinking it's his angel, but are overjoyed upon realizing the truth. Peter recounts his miraculous escape and then goes into hiding. Herod, unable to find Peter, has the guards executed. The chapter concludes with Herod's dramatic death, being struck down by an angel of the Lord for not giving God glory.

Acts 13: Paul and Barnabas’ First Missionary Journey
The Holy Spirit instructs the church in Antioch to set apart Barnabas and Saul (now more commonly referred to as Paul) for the work to which He has called them. Thus begins their first missionary journey. They first head to Cyprus, where they proclaim the word of God and confront a sorcerer named Elymas, leading to the conversion of the proconsul of the island. From Cyprus, they travel to Pisidian Antioch. In the synagogue there, Paul delivers a powerful sermon, summarizing the history of Israel and highlighting Jesus as the promised Savior. The word spreads, and on the next Sabbath, almost the whole city gathers to hear them. However, seeing the crowds, some Jewish leaders become jealous and oppose them. Paul and Barnabas boldly declare that since the Jews reject the message, they will turn to the Gentiles. Many believe, but facing persecution, Paul and Barnabas move on to Iconium, leaving behind a joyous and Spirit-filled community.