Misinterpretations often claim this verse abolishes water baptism in favor of Spirit baptism alone, ignoring the early church's continued practice of both as complementary; others restrict its application to Pentecost only, missing Peter's use of it to defend Gentile inclusion by showing they received the identical promised Spirit; some erroneously suggest the Spirit baptism replaces faith or repentance, overlooking the context of Cornelius' prior conversion.
Acts 11:16
King James Version (1769)
16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Peter recalls Jesus' promise that while John baptized with water, the disciples would be baptized with the Holy Spirit soon after, directly linking this to the Spirit's outpouring on Cornelius' Gentile household just as at Pentecost for the Jews, thereby confirming God's impartiality in salvation and the inclusion of Gentiles in the church without requiring circumcision or Jewish law observance.