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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God's angel said to Philip: Arise, and go toward the south the way that goes from Jerusalem unto Gaza through the desert. He went and an Ethiopian eunuch (government official), a man of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship. read more. He was returning and sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit said to Philip: Go near, and climb on this chariot. Philip ran to him, heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said: Do you understand what you are reading? How can I, the eunuch said: unless someone explains it to me? He invited Philip to come and sit with him. The Scripture he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. Who will declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. The eunuch asked Philip: Please tell me of whom is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else? Then Philip began at the same Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. On their way, they came to a body of water and the eunuch said, See, here is water. What prevents me from getting baptized? Philip said: If you believe with all your heart, you may. He answered: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He commanded the chariot to stop. They both went into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. After they came out of the water God's Spirit took Philip away. The eunuch did not see him again. He continued his journey rejoicing. Philip was seen passing through Azotus. He preached in all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest. He asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any there who belonged to The Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. read more. As he journeyed to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shined around him. He fell to the earth and heard a voice saying: Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me? Who are you Lord? He asked. The Lord said: I am Jesus whom you persecute. Get up and go into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do. The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. Saul got up from the ground. Even though he opened his eyes, he saw nothing. They led him by the hand into Damascus. He went for three days without sight. He did not eat or drink. The disciple Ananias was in Damascus. The Lord spoke to Ananias in a vision: Ananias. He replied: Yes, I am here, Lord. The Lord said to him, Arise, and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for he is praying. He has seen a man named Ananias in a vision. He came in and laid his hand on him that he might receive his sight. Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your holy ones at Jerusalem. He has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name. The Lord said to him: Be on your way. This man is a chosen vessel to bear my name to the people of the nations, and kings and the children of Israel. I will show him plainly how many things he must suffer for my name. Ananias went his way. He entered the house and put his hands on him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared to you along the road sent me, that you might receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he received sight. He got up and was baptized. He ate and was strengthened. Saul spent several days with the disciples at Damascus. He preached in the synagogues immediately. He preached Christ the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed. They asked: Is he the one who raised havoc with those who called on this name in Jerusalem? Did he come for that purpose to take them as prisoners to the chief priests? Saul increased in power and confounded the Jews living in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
The congregation sent them on their way. They passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations. They brought great joy to all the brothers.
On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the river where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women who gathered there. A woman named Lydia who was a seller of purple came from Thyatira. She worshipped God because God opened her heart to listen to the things spoken by Paul. read more. When she and her household were baptized she came to us saying, If you judge me to be faithful to God, come to my house, and stay there. She absolutely insisted that we come.
When her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. They took them to the magistrates and said: These men, being Jews, cause great trouble in our city. read more. They offer customs that it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans. The crowd rose up against them. The magistrates ripped their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods. After they were severely beaten, they threw them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safe. Receiving this command he threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God at midnight. The prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a massive earthquake. It was so great the foundations of the prison-house were shaken. All the doors were opened and everyone's bands came off. The jailor, who was roused out of sleep and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. Paul cried with a loud voice: Do not harm yourself for we are all here. The jailer called for lights. He rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He brought them out and asked: Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They said: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your house. They spoke the Word of God to him and those in his house. That very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds. Then he and all his family were baptized. He took them to his house and fed them. They rejoiced along with his entire house, having believed in God.
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. They may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
Hastings
The noun occurs only in Ac 15:3 (epistroph
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if you obey Jehovah your God to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to Jehovah your God with all your heart with all your being.
I will teach your ways to transgressors, and sinners will turn to you.
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to Jehovah, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Therefore tell the nation of Israel: This is what the Lord Jehovah says: Change the way you think and act! (Repent!) Turn away from your idols, and do not return to any of your disgusting things.
That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah. Change the way you think and act. (Repent!) Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.
The heart of this people is callous and dull. Their ears are plugged. They cannot hear. They closed their eyes and cannot see. They cannot see nor hear nor understand with their heart. They should turn around and I would heal them.'
He said: Truly I tell you, if you do not have a change of heart and become like little children, you will not go into the kingdom of heaven.
He said: Truly I tell you, if you do not have a change of heart and become like little children, you will not go into the kingdom of heaven.
So that seeing they may see and not perceive. And hearing they may hear and not understand. Otherwise they might repent and be forgiven.
She loved much! She has many sins and they are forgiven. When little is forgiven, little love is shown.
Finally it dawned on him, my father's hired workers have more than they can eat and I am about to starve!
Zacchaeus stood before Jesus and said: Lord, I now give half of all my possessions to the poor. If I have defrauded any one I will give back four times the amount taken.
I prayed for you that your faith would not fail. Once you have turned again strengthen your brothers.
I prayed for you that your faith would not fail. Once you have turned again strengthen your brothers.
He said: Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom. He replied: Today I tell you this. You will be with me in paradise.
He has blinded their eyes. He hardened their heart. Otherwise they would see with their eyes and perceive with their heart. Then they would turn and I would heal them.
Those who gladly received his word were baptized. About three thousand persons were added the same day.
As they praised God, they had favor with all the people. God added to the congregation daily those being saved.
Repent therefore, and turn around, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times (seasons) of refreshing shall come from the presence of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)
Repent therefore, and turn around, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times (seasons) of refreshing shall come from the presence of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)
Repent therefore, and turn around, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times (seasons) of refreshing shall come from the presence of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)
Then Philip went to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them. The people with one accord gave heed to those things Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles he did.
When they believed what Philip preached about the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
As he journeyed to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shined around him.
All who lived at Lydda on the Plain of Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
The hand (Spirit) of God was with them. A great number believed, and turned to the Lord.
The hand (Spirit) of God was with them. A great number believed, and turned to the Lord.
They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things.
The congregation sent them on their way. They passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations. They brought great joy to all the brothers.
The congregation sent them on their way. They passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations. They brought great joy to all the brothers.
He brought them out and asked: Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
I witnessed to both Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
I preached first to Damascus, and to Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the people of the nations, that they should repent and turn to God, and prove their repentance by deeds.
These people have closed their mind and are hard of hearing. They have shut their eyes so that their eyes never see. Their ears never hear. Their minds never understand. They never turn to me for healing.'
When one turns to God, 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
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I will teach your ways to transgressors, and sinners will turn to you.
Jehovah's justice will pardon Zion. Those who return will be pardoned by Jehovah's righteousness.
This people's heart has become calloused. They hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.(Septuagint)
Then you will see this and rejoice. Your heart will shake with joy. The riches of the sea will be brought to you. The wealth of the nations will come to you.
He said: Truly I tell you, if you do not have a change of heart and become like little children, you will not go into the kingdom of heaven.
Repent therefore, and turn around, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times (seasons) of refreshing shall come from the presence of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)
The congregation sent them on their way. They passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations. They brought great joy to all the brothers.
All those people speak about how you received us when we visited you, and how you turned away from idols to God, to serve the true and living 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, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. They may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'