Acts 11

1 The apostles and brothers in Judea heard that foreigners had also accepted the word of God.

The apostles and the followers throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God’s message.

2 When Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, those who believed circumcision was still essential argued with him.

But, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who were converts from Judaism began to attack him,

3 “You went into the homes of uncircumcised men, and ate with them,” they said.

on the ground that he had visited people who were not circumcised, and had taken meals with them.

4 Peter began to explain to them everything that had happened.

So Peter began to relate the facts to them as they had occurred.

5 “While I was in the town of Joppa I was praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. Something that looked like a large sheet was being let down by its four corners from heaven, and it came down to me.

“I was in the town of Joppa,” he said, “and was praying; and, while in a trance, I saw a vision. There was something like a great sail descending, let down by its four corners out of the heavens; and it came right down to me.

6 When I looked inside I saw animals, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds.

Looking intently at it, I began to distinguish quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds;

7 Then I heard a voice that told me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’

and I also heard a voice saying to me – ‘Stand up, Peter, kill something and eat.’

8 But I replied, ‘Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth!’

‘No, Lord, I cannot,’ I answered, ‘for nothing defiled or unclean has ever passed my lips.’

9 The voice from heaven spoke again, and said, ‘Don't you call unclean what God has made clean!’

Then a second time there came a voice from the heavens. ‘What God has pronounced clean’, it said, ‘you must not call defiled.’

10 This happened three times, and then it was all taken back into heaven.

This happened three times, and then all was drawn up again into the heavens.

11 At that very moment three men were standing in front of the house where we were staying. They had been sent from Caesarea to see me.

At that moment three men, who had been sent from Caesarea to see me, came up to the house in which we were.

12 The Spirit told me to go with them, and not to worry about who they were. These six brothers here also went with me, and we went into the man's house.

The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation. These six companions also went with me. And, when we came into the man’s house,

13 He explained to us how an angel had appeared to him in his house, who told him, ‘Send someone to Joppa, and fetch Simon, also called Peter,

he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and how the angel had said to him – ‘Send to Joppa and fetch the Simon, who is also known as Peter;

14 who will tell you what you need to hear so you can be saved—you and your whole household.’

for he will tell you truths, which will prove the means of salvation to you and all your household.’

15 When I started speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as happened to us in the beginning.

I had but just begun to speak,” continued Peter, “when the Holy Spirit fell on them, exactly as on us at the first;

16 Then I remembered what the Lord said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

and I recalled the saying of the Master – ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

17 Since God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, what power did I have to oppose God?”

Since then, God had given them the very same gift as he gave us when we became believers in Jesus Christ the Master – who was I that I could thwart God?”

18 After they had heard this explanation, they didn't argue with him anymore, and praised God, saying, “Now God has granted the opportunity to repent and have eternal life to foreigners as well.”

On hearing this statement, they said no more, but broke out into praise of God. “So even to the Gentiles,” they exclaimed, “God has granted the repentance which leads to life!”

19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that happened when Stephen was killed, traveled all the way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They only spread the good news among the Jews.

Now those who had been scattered in different directions, in consequence of the persecution that followed the death of Stephen, went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the message – but only to Jews.

20 But when some of them who were from Cyprus and Cyrene arrived in Antioch, they shared the good news with the Greeks too, telling them about the Lord Jesus.

Some of them, however, who were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, on coming to Antioch, addressed themselves also to the Jews of foreign birth, telling them the good news about that Lord Jesus.

21 The power of the Lord was with them and a large number trusted in the Lord and turned to him.

The power of the Lord was with them, so that a great number who had learned to believe came over to the Lord’s side.

22 News about what had happened reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

23 When he arrived and saw for himself how God's grace was working, he was delighted. He encouraged all of them to completely dedicate themselves to God and to stay true.

On coming there he saw to his great joy these tokens of the loving kindness of God, and encouraged them all to make up their minds to be faithful to the Lord –

24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, and put his whole trust in God. Many people were brought to the Lord.

For Barnabas was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith – and a large number of people took their stand on the Lord’s side.

25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul,

Afterward Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for Saul;

26 and when he found him, he took Saul back with him to Antioch. Over the course of the next year they worked together with the church, teaching the message to crowds of people. It was in Antioch that the believers were first called “Christians.”

and, when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And so it came about that, for a whole year, they attended the meetings of the church there, and taught a large number of people; and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’

27 It was during this time that some prophets went from Jerusalem to Antioch.

During this time, some prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem.

28 One of them called Agabus stood up and gave a prophetic warning by the Spirit that there would be a terrible famine that would affect the known world. (This came true in the reign of Emperor Claudius.)

One of them, named Agabus, came forward and, under the influence of the Spirit, foretold a great famine that was to spread over all the world – a famine which occurred in the reign of Claudius.

29 The believers decided to send funds to help the brothers that lived in Judea, with everyone giving according to what they had.

So the disciples, without exception, determined, in proportion to their means, to send something to help the followers living in Judea.

30 So they did this and sent the money with Barnabas and Saul to the church leaders there.

And this they did, sending it to the church elders by Barnabas and Saul.