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The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 11 -

1
The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
2
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers (a) took issue with him
3
and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
4
But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events:
5
“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me.
6
I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.
7
Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’
8
‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure (b) or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
9
But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
10
This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.
11
Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.
12
The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.
13
He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.
14
He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’
15
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.
16
Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’(c)
17
So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”
18
When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

The Church at Antioch

19
Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.
20
But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks (d) as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
21
The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22
When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23
When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.
24
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26
and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
27
In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28
One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world.(e) (This happened under Claudius.)
29
So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
30
This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

Footnotes

(a)11:2 Literally those of the circumcision
(b)11:8 Literally common; similarly in verse 9
(c)11:16 Or ‘John baptized in water, but in a few days you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ Acts 1:5
(d)11:20 Or the Hellenists
(e)11:28 Or the entire Roman world
1
Now the apostles and the brothers(a) who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
2
When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him,
3
saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
4
But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying,
5
“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me.
6
When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky.
7
I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’
8
But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’
9
But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’
10
This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
11
Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me.
12
The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house.
13
He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, who is called Peter,
14
who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’
15
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.
16
I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’
17
If then God gave to them the same gift as us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?”
18
When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”

The Church at Antioch

19
They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.
20
But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists,(b) preaching the Lord Jesus.
21
The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
22
The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,
23
who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.
24
For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.
25
Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.
26
When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
27
Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28
One of them named Agabus stood up and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius.
29
As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;
30
which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Footnotes

(a)11:1 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”
(b)11:20 A Hellenist is someone who keeps Greek customs and culture.
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