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.)
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Now the angel of the Lord spake to Philip, saying, Arise, and go towards the south, on the road which leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza: it is a wilderness. And he arose and went: and lo! an Ethiopian man, an eunuch, a person in power under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury; he had gone to worship unto Jerusalem, read more. and was returning, and sitting in his chariot, was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then said the Spirit to Philip, Go up, and approach close to that chariot. Then Philip running up to him, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah; and he said, Well! but dost thou understand what thou art reading? He replied, How indeed can I, except some person guide me in the way? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. The portion of scripture which he had been reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before him who sheareth it is dumb, so he opened not his mouth: in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: but his generation who can describe? for his life was taken away from the earth." Then the eunuch addressing himself to Philip, said, I pray thee, of whom doth the prophet thus speak? of himself, or of some other person? Then Philip opening his mouth, and beginning from that scripture, preached to him Jesus. But as they went on the road, they came to some water: and the eunuch said, Here is water, what forbids my being baptised? And Philip said, If thou believest with the whole heart, it is allowable. Then he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he bid the carriage stop: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptised him. But when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more: then he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel in all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
BUT Saul, still breathing out threatenings and murder against the disciples of the Lord, applying to the high-priest, besought of him letters for the synagogues at Damascus, that if he should find any persons of this way, whether men or women, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem. read more. So advancing on his journey, he was drawing nigh to Damascus: and suddenly there shone around him a light from heaven: and falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Then said he, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou art persecuting: It is difficult for thee to kick against the goads. And trembling and amazed he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men who travelled with him stood astonished, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man. Then Paul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days seeing nothing, and did neither eat nor drink. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Here I am, Lord. Then the Lord said to him, Arise, go into the street called Strait, and inquire at the house of Judas for one named Saul a man of Tarsus: for, behold, he is praying, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming to him, and laying his hand upon him, that he may recover his sight. But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how many evils he hath inflicted on thy saints at Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go: for this man is an elect vessel for me, to bear my name before nations, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. Then went Ananias, and entered into the house; and laying his hands upon him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who was seen by thee in the way that thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest recover thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And directly there fell from his eyes as it were scales: and he recovered sight instantly, and arose, and was baptised. And when he had taken nourishment, he regained his strength. And Saul continued with the disciples who were at Damascus several days. And immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. And all who heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this the man who made havoc at Jerusalem, among those who called on this name? and hither he came for this purpose, that he might carry them in chains unto the chief priests? But Saul was endued with still greater power, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, conclusively evincing that this person is the Messiah.
They therefore being sent on their way by the church, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, giving a particular narrative of the conversion of the Gentiles: and they gave great joy to all the brethren.
And on the sabbath-day we went forth out of the city to the river side, where an oratory was by custom established; and sitting down, we spoke to the women who there assembled. And a certain woman, Lydia by name, a seller of purple, from the city of Thyatira, a worshipper of God, hearkened: whose heart the Lord thoroughly opened, to attend to the words spoken by Paul. read more. So when she was baptised, and her house, she entreated, saying, Since ye have judged that I am faithful to the Lord, come and abide at my house. And she constrained us.
But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the forum before the chief rulers, and presenting them to the magistrates, they said, These are the men that exceedingly disturb the peace of our city, being Jews, read more. and enjoin customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to practise, being Romans. And the populace stood up together against them: and the magistrates, after having had their garments torn from their backs, commanded them to be beaten with rods. And laying on them many stripes, cast them into prison, commanding the jailor to keep them in safe custody: who, receiving such an injunction, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas, after joining in prayer, sang hymns to God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken: and instantly all the doors flew open, and every man's chains were loosed. Then the jailor being roused from sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drew his sword, going to destroy himself, supposing the prisoners had escaped. But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no injury: for we are all here. Thereupon calling for a light, he rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas; and having first brought them out, said, Sirs! what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, thou, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all who were in his house. And taking them that same hour of the night, he washed their stripes; and was baptised, himself and all who belonged to him immediately. And when he had brought them into his house, he spread the table, and greatly rejoiced with all his household, believing in God.
to open their eyes, to convert them from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance with those who are sanctified by faith which is in me.
Hastings
The noun occurs only in Ac 15:3 (epistroph
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for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with the eves, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be changed and be as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be changed and be as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
That seeing they may see, yet not perceive; and hearing may hear, yet not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them.
For which cause, I tell thee, her many sins are forgiven, for she hath loved much: but to whom a little is forgiven, he loveth little.
Then coming to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father abound with loaves of bread, and I am pining away with famine!
Then Zaccheus standing up, said unto the Lord, Behold, the half of my goods, Lord, I give unto the poor; and if I have got any thing from any man, by laying false informations, I am ready to restore fourfold.
but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith may not fail: and when thou art returned, stablish thy brethren.
but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith may not fail: and when thou art returned, stablish thy brethren.
And he said to Jesus, Remember me, Lord, when thou comest in thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him. Verily I say unto thee, To-day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
"He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts; lest they should see with their eyes, and understand with the heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."
They therefore who gladly received his discourse were baptised: and there were added to them that day about three thousand souls.
praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added the saved ones daily to the church.
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when refreshing seasons shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when refreshing seasons shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when refreshing seasons shall come from the presence of the Lord;
But Philip, going down to a city of Samaria, preached Christ unto them. And the multitudes with united minds were very attentive to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard him, and saw the miracles which he did.
But when they believed Philip, who preached the glad tidings of the things which related to the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised both men and women.
So advancing on his journey, he was drawing nigh to Damascus: and suddenly there shone around him a light from heaven:
And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a vast multitude believing, turned to the Lord.
And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a vast multitude believing, turned to the Lord.
and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We too are mortals subject to the same infirmities with you; preaching to you the gospel, that ye should turn from these vain things unto the living God, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things which are therein:
They therefore being sent on their way by the church, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, giving a particular narrative of the conversion of the Gentiles: and they gave great joy to all the brethren.
They therefore being sent on their way by the church, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, giving a particular narrative of the conversion of the Gentiles: and they gave great joy to all the brethren.
and having first brought them out, said, Sirs! what must I do to be saved?
repeatedly urging both on Jews and Greeks repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.
but preached first to those at Damascus, and Jerusalem, and to all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, practicing works worthy of repentance.
For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and with their ears they are thick of hearing, and their eyes have they shut; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and become converts, and I should heal them."
Nevertheless, when Israel shall turn unto the Lord, the veil shall be 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
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and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be changed and be as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when refreshing seasons shall come from the presence of the Lord;
They therefore being sent on their way by the church, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, giving a particular narrative of the conversion of the Gentiles: and they gave great joy to all the brethren.
For they publish concerning you what manner of entrance we had unto you, and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve the 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.
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to open their eyes, to convert them from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance with those who are sanctified by faith which is in me.