Reference: Conversion
Easton
(1) the turning of a sinner to God (Ac 15:3). In a general sense the heathen are said to be "converted" when they abandon heathenism and embrace the Christian faith; and in a more special sense men are converted when, by the influence of divine grace in their souls, their whole life is changed, old things pass away, and all things become new (Ac 26:18). Thus we speak of the conversion of the Philippian jailer (Ac 16:19-34), of Paul (Ac 9:1-22), of the Ethiopian treasurer (Ac 8:26-40), of Cornelius (10), of Lydia (Ac 16:13-15), and others. (See Regeneration.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
But the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go southward on the way which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza: the same is desert. And he rose up and went. And lo, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a man in power under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship at Jerusalem, read more. was returning and sitting in his chariot: and he was reading the prophet Esaias. And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach and join this chariot. And Philip, running up, heard him reading the prophet Esaias, and said, Dost thou then know what thou art reading of? And he said, How should I then be able unless some one guide me? And he begged Philip to come up and sit with him. And the passage of the scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in presence of him that shears him, thus he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment has been taken away, and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answering Philip said, I pray thee, concerning whom does the prophet say this? of himself or of some other? And Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from that scripture, announced the glad tidings of Jesus to him. And as they went along the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch says, Behold water; what hinders my being baptised? no translation And he commanded the chariot to stop. And they went down both to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptised him. But when they came up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no longer, for he went on his way rejoicing. And Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through he announced the glad tidings to all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
But Saul, still breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, came to the high priest and asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. read more. But as he was journeying, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus; and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven, and falling on the earth he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. But rise up and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. But the men who were travelling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but beholding no one. And Saul rose up from the earth, and his eyes being opened he saw no one. But leading him by the hand they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without seeing, and neither ate nor drank. And there was a certain disciple in Damascus by name Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, here am I, Lord. And the Lord said to him, Rise up and go into the street which is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas one by name Saul, he is of Tarsus: for, behold, he is praying, and has seen in a vision a man by name Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he should see. And Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name. And the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is an elect vessel to me, to bear my name before both nations and kings and the sons of Israel: for I will shew to him how much he must suffer for my name. And Ananias went and entered into the house; and laying his hands upon him he said, Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus that appeared to thee in the way in which thou camest, that thou mightest see, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he saw, and rising up was baptised; and, having received food, got strength. And he was with the disciples who were in Damascus certain days. And straightway in the synagogues he preached Jesus that he is the Son of God. And all who heard were astonished and said, Is not this he who destroyed in Jerusalem those who called on this name, and here was come for this purpose, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in power, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
They therefore, having been set on their way by the assembly, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of those of the nations. And they caused great joy to all the brethren.
And on the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where it was the custom for prayer to be, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had assembled. And a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard; whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul. read more. And when she had been baptised and her house, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there. And she constrained us.
And her masters, seeing that the hope of their gains was gone, having seized Paul and Silas, dragged them into the market before the magistrates; and having brought them up to the praetors, said, These men utterly trouble our city, being Jews, read more. and announce customs which it is not lawful for us to receive nor practise, being Romans. And the crowd rose up too against them; and the praetors, having torn off their clothes, commanded to scourge them. And having laid many stripes upon them they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely; who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and secured their feet to the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas, in praying, were praising God with singing, and the prisoners listened to them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison shook, and all the doors were immediately opened, and the bonds of all loosed. And the jailor being awakened out of his sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison opened, having drawn a sword was going to kill himself, thinking the prisoners had fled. But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm, for we are all here. And having asked for lights, he rushed in, and, trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas. And leading them out said, Sirs, what must I do that I may be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. And they spoke to him the word of the Lord, with all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed them from their stripes; and was baptised, he and all his straightway. And having brought them into his house he laid the table for them, and rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God.
to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
Hastings
The noun occurs only in Ac 15:3 (epistroph
See Verses Found in Dictionary
if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn to Jehovah thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall return unto thee.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Return ye, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Return ye, and turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your snare.
for the heart of this people has grown fat, and they have heard heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes as asleep, lest they should see with the eyes, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven.
For which cause I say to thee, Her many sins are forgiven; for she loved much; but he to whom little is forgiven loves little.
And coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and I perish here by famine.
But Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I return him fourfold.
but I have besought for thee that thy faith fail not; and thou, when once thou hast been restored, confirm thy brethren.
but I have besought for thee that thy faith fail not; and thou, when once thou hast been restored, confirm thy brethren.
And he said to Jesus, Remember me, Lord, when thou comest in thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they may not see with their eyes, and understand with their heart and be converted, and I should heal them.
Those then who had accepted his word were baptised; and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.
praising God, and having favour with all the people; and the Lord added to the assembly daily those that were to be saved.
Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
And Philip, going down to a city of Samaria, preached the Christ to them; and the crowds with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he wrought.
But when they believed Philip announcing the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.
But as he was journeying, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus; and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven,
And the Lord's hand was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
And the Lord's hand was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
and saying, Men, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, preaching to you to turn from these vanities to the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things in them;
They therefore, having been set on their way by the assembly, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of those of the nations. And they caused great joy to all the brethren.
They therefore, having been set on their way by the assembly, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of those of the nations. And they caused great joy to all the brethren.
And leading them out said, Sirs, what must I do that I may be saved?
testifying to both Jews and Greeks repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.
but have, first to those both in Damascus and Jerusalem, and to all the region of Judaea, and to the nations, announced that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
For the heart of this people has become fat, and they hear heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
But when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.)
Morish
This is from ?????????, 'to turn to.' It is in scripture the real effect that accompanies the new birth, a turning to God. It is beautifully expressed in the case of the Thessalonians, showing how they "turned to the same word God from idols, to serve the living and true God." 1Th 1:9. Paul and Barnabas were able to make known to the saints the 'conversion of the Gentiles.' Ac 15:3. In Peter's address to the Jews he said, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." Ac 3:19. Without being converted they could not enter the kingdom of heaven. Mt 18:3. The word is used in a somewhat different sense in respect to Peter himself. The Lord, knowing that he would fall under the sifting of Satan, said, "When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren;" that is, when he had returned in contrition, or been restored. In the O.T. the Hebrew words signify the same, 'to be turned,' 'to turn back.' Ps 51:13; Isa 6:10; 60:5: cf. Isa 1:27, margin
See Verses Found in Dictionary
I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall return unto thee.
Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and they that return of her with righteousness.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and healed.
Then thou shalt see, and shalt be brightened, and thy heart shall throb, and be enlarged; for the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto thee, the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee.
and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
They therefore, having been set on their way by the assembly, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of those of the nations. And they caused great joy to all the brethren.
for they themselves relate concerning us what entering in we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
Watsons
CONVERSION, a change from one state or character to another. Conversion, considered theologically, consists in a renovation of the heart and life, or a being turned from sin and the power of Satan unto God, Ac 26:18; and is produced by the influence of divine grace upon the soul. This is conversion considered as a state of mind; and is opposed both to a careless and unawakened state, and to that state of conscious guilt and slavish dread, accompanied with struggles after a moral deliverance not yet attained, which precedes our justification and regeneration; both of which are usually understood to be comprised in conversion. But this is not the only Scriptural import of the term; for the first turning of the whole heart to God in penitence and prayer is generally termed conversion. In its stricter sense, as given above, it is, however, now generally used by divines.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.