After the conversion of Cornelius, the brethren in Judea learnt that the Gentiles had received the word of God through Peter. Because of this, Peter was challenged for mingling and eating with the uncircumcised Gentiles in Caesarea. Peter took time to explain how he was in a trance in Joppa and saw all sorts of animals let down in a great sheet and he was asked to kill and eat. He refused the order for three times saying that, nothing common or unclean had ever entered his month. He was for each time told not to call what God had created common or unclean.

After this, three men from Caesarea met him and told him that Cornelius had sent them. He was told by the spirit of God to accompany them and not to make any distinction. On their arrival and after Cornelius' explanation, Peter addressed the audience, declaring that God was no respecter of persons, but those that feared Him and did what was right from every nation, would be acceptable to Him. Hardly had he completed his address when the Holy Spirit descended on Cornelius and his friends, and they spoke in tongues. They were baptized. The council members were perplexed by what they heard and they kept silence. They praised God for granting salvation to the gentiles.

The defence of Peter was enough to silence his critics who then gave praise to God. God had given the Gentiles the Holy Spirit as He did to the apostles without any distinction. The conclusion therefore, was that the Gentiles should not be heavily yoked. The council passed a resolution on the matter and so the question of circumcision of the Gentiles was settled once and for all.