18 Bible Verses about Converts To Christianity

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name [because they] saw his signs which he was doing.

And many believed in him there.

Yet despite that, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [it], so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than praise from God.

And Simon himself also believed, and [after he] was baptized he was {keeping close company with} Philip. And [when he] saw the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was astonished. Now [when] the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who went down [and] prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit.read more.
(For he had not yet fallen on any of them, {but they had only been baptized} in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then they placed [their] hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now Simon, [when he] saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money, saying, "Give to me also this power, so that whomever I place [my] hands on may receive the Holy Spirit!" But Peter said to him, "May your silver {be destroyed along with you}, because you thought {you could acquire} the gift of God by means of money! {You have no} part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask the Lord if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you!" For I see you are in {a state of bitter envy} and {bound by unrighteousness}." But Simon answered [and] said, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me."

Now [there was] a certain man in Caesarea {named} Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort, devout and fearing God together with all his household, doing many charitable deeds for the people and praying to God {continually}. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, "Cornelius."read more.
And he stared at him and became terrified [and] said, "What is [it], Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your charitable deeds have gone up for a memorial offering before God. And now, send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon, who is also called Peter. This man is staying as a guest with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea." And when the angel who spoke to him departed, he summoned two of the household slaves and a devout soldier from those who attended him, and [after he] had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. And the next day, [as] they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray [at] about the sixth hour. And he became hungry and wanted to eat. But [while] they were preparing [the food], a trance came over him. And he saw heaven opened and an object something like a large sheet coming down, being let down to the earth by its four corners, in which were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky. And a voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, slaughter and eat!" But Peter said, "Certainly not, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common and unclean!" And the voice [came] again to him for the second time: "[The things] which God has made clean, you must not consider unclean!" And this happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven. Now while Peter was greatly perplexed within himself [as to] what the vision that he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having found the house of Simon by asking around, stood at the gate. And they called out [and] asked if Simon who was also called Peter was staying there as a guest. And [while] Peter was reflecting about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, men are looking for you. But get up, go down, and go with them--not hesitating at all, because I have sent them." So Peter went down to the men [and] said, "Behold, I am [he] whom you are looking for! What [is] the reason for which you have come?" And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man--and well spoken of by the whole nation of the Jews--was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear words from you." So he invited them in [and] entertained them as guests, and on the next day he got up [and] went away with them. And some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. And on the next day he entered into Caesarea. So it happened that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at [his] feet, [and] worshiped [him]. But Peter helped him up, saying, "Get up! I myself am also a man!" And [as he] conversed with him, he went in and found many [people] gathered. And he said to them, "You know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or to approach a foreigner. And to me God has shown [that] I should call no man common or unclean. Therefore--and without raising any objection--I came [when I] was sent for. So I ask for what reason you sent for me." And Cornelius said, "{Four days ago at this hour}, [the] ninth, I was praying in my house. And behold, a man in shining clothing stood before me and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your charitable deeds have been remembered before God. Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon who is also called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. Therefore I sent for you at once, and you {were kind enough to come}. So now we all are present before God to hear all the things that have been commanded to you by the Lord."

Therefore I conclude we should not cause difficulty for those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, "Come then,[let us] return [and] visit the brothers in every town in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [to see] how they are [doing]."

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, and [also] a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few of the prominent women.

But some people joined him [and] believed, among whom also [were] Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman {named} Damaris and others with them.

also [greet] the church in their house. Greet Epenetus my dear [friend], who is {the first convert} of Asia for Christ.

I give thanks to my God always concerning you, because of the grace of God which was given to you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were made rich in him, in all speech and all knowledge, just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed in you,

For consider your calling, brothers, that not many [were] wise according to human standards, not many [were] powerful, not many [were] well born. But the foolish [things] of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the wise, and the weak [things] of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the strong, and the insignificant of the world, and the despised, God chose, the things that are not, in order that he might abolish the things that are,read more.
so that all flesh may not boast before God. But from him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "The one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or [do we], like some, need letters of recommendation to you or from you? You are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all people, revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, inscribed not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

For even if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave [us] {for building you up and not for tearing you down}, I will not be put to shame,

Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ [is] in you, unless you are unqualified? And I hope that you will recognize that we are not unqualified! Now we pray to God that you not do wrong in any way, not that we are seen as approved, but that you do what is good, even [though] we are [seen] as though unqualified.read more.
For we are not able [to do] anything against the truth, but rather [only] for the truth. For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong, and we pray for this: your maturity. Because of this, I am writing these [things] [although I] am absent, in order that [when I] am present I may not have to act severely according to the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on behalf of you, and those in Laodicea, and all those who have not seen my face {in person},

Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

But remember the former days in which, [after you] were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed both to insults and to afflictions, and sometimes becoming sharers with those who were treated in this way.