Acts 11:4

Peter rehearsed the matter. Rather, “began and set forth the matter.” The almost word-for-word repetition of the narrative of ch. 10 in ch. 11 appears at first inconsistent with Luke’s skill in literary composition. Some commentators offer the explanation that Luke obtained the first account from the disciples he met at Caesarea, and the second from those at Jerusalem, and realized that their similarity confirmed the incident. Luke does the same with the narratives of Paul’s experience at Damascus (chs. 9; 22; 26), leaving the slight variations as proof of independent accounts, and as the testimony of different witnesses.

For fuller comment on the story that follows in vs. 5-17 see on ch. 10:9-48. In the comment on ch. 11:5—17 attention will be given only to those points not discussed under ch. 10. The variations in the narrative, as given in chs. 10; 11, are few and of little importance.