18 Bible Verses about Converts To Christianity

Now when He was in Jerusalem, at the Festival of the Passover, many became believers in Him through watching the miracles He performed.

And many became believers in Him there.

Nevertheless even from among the Rulers many believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not avow their belief, for fear they should be shut out from the synagogue. For they loved the glory that comes from men rather than the glory that comes from God.

Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized remained in close attendance on Philip, and was full of amazement at seeing such signs and such great miracles performed. When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them. They, when they came down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit:read more.
for He had not as yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When, however, Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles' hands that the Spirit was bestowed, he offered them money. "Give me too," he said, "that power, so that every one on whom I place my hands will receive the Holy Spirit." "Perish your money and yourself," replied Peter, "because you have imagined that you can obtain God's free gift with money! No part or lot have you in this matter, for your heart is not right in God's sight. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, in the hope that the purpose which is in your heart may perhaps be forgiven you. For I perceive that you have fallen into the bitterest bondage of unrighteousness." "Pray, both of you, to the Lord for me," answered Simon, "that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."

Now a Captain of the Italian Regiment, named Cornelius, was quartered at Caesarea. He was religious and God-fearing--and so was every member of his household. He was also liberal in his charities to the people, and continually offered prayer to God. About three o'clock one afternoon he had a vision, and distinctly saw an angel of God enter his house, who called him by name, saying, "Cornelius!"read more.
Looking steadily at him, and being much alarmed, he said, "What do you want, Sir?" "Your prayers and charities," he replied, "have gone up and have been recorded before God. And now send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter. He is staying as a guest with Simon, a tanner, who has a house close to the sea." So when the angel who had been speaking to him was gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier who was in constant attendance on him, and, after telling them everything, he sent them to Jaffa. The next day, while they were still on their journey and were getting near the town, about noon Peter went up on the house-top to pray. He had become unusually hungry and wished for food; but, while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance. The sky had opened to his view, and what seemed to be an enormous sail was descending, being let down to the earth by ropes at the four corners. In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles and birds, and a voice came to him which said, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat." "On no account, Lord," he replied; "for I have never yet eaten anything unholy and impure." Again a second time a voice was heard which said, "What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy." This was said three times, and immediately the sail was drawn up out of sight. While Peter was greatly perplexed as to the meaning of the vision which he had seen, just then the men sent by Cornelius, having by inquiry found out Simon's house, had come to the door and had called the servant, and were asking, "Is Simon, surnamed Peter, staying here?" And Peter was still earnestly thinking over the vision, when the Spirit said to him, "Three men are now inquiring for you. Rise, go down, and go with them without any misgivings; for it is I who have sent them to you." So Peter went down and said to the men, "I am the Simon you are inquiring for. What is the reason of your coming?" Their reply was, "Cornelius, a Captain, an upright and God-fearing man, of whom the whole Jewish nation speaks well, has been divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and listen to what you have to say." Upon hearing this, Peter invited them in, and gave them a lodging. The next day he set out with them, some of the brethren from Jaffa going with him, and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There Cornelius was awaiting their arrival, and had invited all his relatives and intimate friends to be present. When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him, and threw himself at his feet to do him homage. But Peter lifted him up. "Stand up," he said; "I myself also am but a man." So Peter went in and conversed with him, and found a large company assembled. He said to them, "You know better than most that a Jew is strictly forbidden to associate with a Gentile or visit him; but God has taught me to call no one unholy or unclean. So for this reason, when sent for, I came without raising any objection. I therefore ask why you sent for me." "Just at this hour, three days ago," replied Cornelius, "I was offering afternoon prayer in my house, when suddenly a man in shining raiment stood in front of me, who said, "'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been put on record before God. Send therefore to Jaffa, and invite Simon, surnamed Peter, to come here. He is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, close to the sea.' "Immediately, therefore, I sent to you, and I thank you heartily for having come. That is why all of us are now assembled here in God's presence, to listen to what the Lord has commanded you to say."

"My judgement, therefore, is against inflicting unexpected annoyance on those of the Gentiles who are turning to God.

After a while Paul said to Barnabas, "Suppose we now revisit the brethren in the various towns in which we have made known the Lord's Message--to see whether they are prospering!"

Some of the people were won over, and attached themselves to Paul and Silas, including many God-fearing Greeks and not a few gentlewomen of high rank.

A few, however, attached themselves to him and believed, among them being Dionysius a member of the Council, a gentlewoman named Damaris, and some others.

Greetings, too, to the Church that meets at their house. Greetings to my dear Epaenetus, who was the earliest convert to Christ in the province of Asia;

I thank my God continually on your behalf for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus-- that you have been so richly blessed in Him, with readiness of speech and fulness of knowledge. Thus my testimony as to the Christ has been confirmed in your experience,

For consider, brethren, God's call to you. Not many who are wise with merely human wisdom, not many of position and influence, not many of noble birth have been called. But God has chosen the things which the world regards as foolish, in order to put its wise men to shame; and God has chosen the things which the world regards as destitute of influence, in order to put its powerful things to shame; and the things which the world regards as base, and those which it sets utterly at nought--things that have no existence--God has chosen in order to reduce to nothing things that do exist;read more.
to prevent any mortal man from boasting in the presence of God. But you--and it is all God's doing--are in Christ Jesus: He has become for us a wisdom which is from God, consisting of righteousness and sanctification and deliverance; in order that it may be as Scripture says, "He who boasts--let his boast be in the Lord."

Do you say that this is self-recommendation once more? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? Our letter of recommendation is yourselves--a letter written on our hearts and everywhere known and read. For all can see that you are a letter of Christ entrusted to our care, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the ever-living God--and not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.

If, however, I were to boast more loudly of our Apostolic authority, which the Lord has given us that we may build you up, not pull you down, I should have no reason to feel ashamed.

Test yourselves to discover whether you are true believers: put your own selves under examination. Or do you not know that Jesus Christ is within you, unless you are insincere? But I trust that you will recognize that we are not insincere. And our prayer to God is that you may do nothing wrong; not in order that our sincerity may be demonstrated, but that you may do what is right, even though our sincerity may seem to be doubtful.read more.
For we have no power against the truth, but only for the furtherance of the truth; and it is a joy to us when we are powerless, but you are strong. This we also pray for--the perfecting of your characters. For this reason I write thus while absent, that when present I may not have to act severely in the exercise of the authority which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for pulling down.

For I would have you know in how severe a struggle I am engaged on behalf of you and the brethren in Laodicea and of all who have not known me personally,

Exert all your strength in the honourable struggle for the faith; lay hold of the Life of the Ages, to which you were called, when you made your noble profession of faith before many witnesses.

But continually recall to mind the days now past, when on being first enlightened you went through a great conflict and many sufferings. This was partly through allowing yourselves to be made a public spectacle amid reproaches and persecutions, and partly through coming forward to share the sufferings of those who were thus treated.