Acts 11

1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also received the word of God.

The apostles and [other] believers who lived in various towns in Judea [province] heard people say that [some] non-Jewish people had believed the message [from] God [about Jesus].

2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the men of circumcision contended against him,

So when Peter [and the six other believers] returned [from Caesarea] to Jerusalem, [some] Jewish believers criticized Peter, [because they thought that Jews should not associate with non-Jews] [MTY].

3 saying, Thou went in to uncircumcised men, having also eaten with them.

They said to him, “Not only was it wrong for you(sg) to visit non-Jewish people, you [even] ate with them!”

4 But when Peter began, he expounded to them in order, saying,

So Peter began to explain exactly [what had happened concerning Cornelius].

5 I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain container descending, as a great sheet being lowered from heaven by four corners, and it came as far as to me,

He said, “I was praying [by myself] in Joppa [town], and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw that something like a large sheet was being lowered from heaven. [It was tied with ropes] at its four corners, and it came down to where I was.

6 having gazed at which, I was examining. And I saw the four footed things of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the birds of the sky.

As I was looking intently into it, I saw some tame animals [but also animals that our laws forbid us to eat, including] wild animals, snakes, and wild birds.

7 And I heard a voice saying to me, Having risen, Peter, kill and eat.

Then I heard God [MTY] commanding me, ‘Peter, get up, kill [some of these], and [cook and] eat [their meat]!’

8 But I said, Not so, Lord, because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.

But I replied, ‘Lord, [you(sg)] surely do not [really want me to do that], because I have never eaten [MTY] meat [from any animal] that [our laws say] that we [(exc)] must not eat [SYN]!’

9 But a voice answered me for a second time out of heaven, What God has cleansed, thou shall not make profane.

God spoke from heaven [to me] a second time, ‘[I am] God, [so] if I have made something acceptable [to eat], do not say that it is not acceptable [to eat]!’

10 And this happened thrice, and all were drawn up again into heaven.

Then [after that happened three times, the sheet with] all [those animals and birds] was pulled up into heaven again.”

11 And behold, immediately three men stood at the house in which I was, who were sent from Caesarea to me.

“At that exact moment, three men who had been {whom [Cornelius] had} sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying.

12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. And these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the man's house.

[God’s] Spirit told me that I should be willing to go with them [even though they were not Jews]. These six [Jewish] believers [from Joppa] went with me [to Caesarea], and then we [(exc)] went into that [non-Jewish] man’s house.

13 And he informed us how he saw the agent in his house, who stood and said to him, Send forth men to Joppa, and summon Simon, the man surnamed Peter,

He told us that he had seen an angel standing in his house. The angel told him, ‘Tell some [men] to go to Joppa and bring back Simon whose other name is Peter.

14 who will speak sayings to thee, by which thou will be saved, thou and all thy house.

He will tell you [(sg)] how you and everyone [MTY] else in your house will be saved {how [God] will save you and everyone [MTY] else in your house}.’

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as also on us at the beginning.

After I started to speak, the Holy Spirit [suddenly] came down on them, just like he had first [MTY] come on us [during the Pentecost festival].

16 And I remembered the saying of the Lord, how he said, John indeed immersed in water, but ye will be immersed in the Holy Spirit.

Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John caused people to be baptized in water, but [God] will cause the Holy Spirit [to enter you and change your lives.’]

17 If then God gave to them the identical gift as also to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, but what power was I to hinder God?

God gave those non-Jews the same Holy Spirit that he had given to us [(inc)] after we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So, ([I] could not [possibly] tell God that he did wrong [when he gave them the Holy Spirit!]/how could I [tell] God that he did wrong [when he gave them the Holy Spirit]?) [RHQ] [He was showing that he had received them]!”

18 And when they heard these things, they relaxed and glorified God, saying, Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.

After [those Jewish believers] heard what Peter said, they stopped criticizing [him. Instead], they praised God, saying, “Then it is [clear to us that] God has also accepted the non-Jews so that they will have eternal life, if they turn from their sinful behavior [and believe in Jesus]!”

19 Indeed therefore those who were scattered abroad from the persecution that occurred against Stephen passed through as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews only.

After [people had killed] Stephen, many of the believers left [Jerusalem and went] to other places, because people were causing them to suffer [there in Jerusalem. Some of] them went to Phoenicia [region], some went to Cyprus [Island], and others went to Antioch [city in Syria province. In those places] they were continually telling people the message [about Jesus], but they told only other Jewish people.

20 And some of them were men, Cyprians and Cyrenians, who, having come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching good news, the Lord Jesus.

Some of the believers were men from Cyprus and from Cyrene [city in north Africa]. They went to Antioch, and [although they told other Jews about] the Lord Jesus, they also told non-Jewish people [there].

21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

The Lord [God] [MTY] was powerfully enabling those [believers to preach effectively. As a result], very many [non-Jewish] people believed [their message and] trusted in the Lord [Jesus].

22 And the word about them was heard in the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they dispatched Barnabas to pass through as far as Antioch,

The group of believers in Jerusalem heard [MTY] [people say that many people in Antioch were believing in Jesus. So] the [leaders] of the congregation in [Jerusalem] asked Barnabas to go to Antioch.

23 who, having arrived, and having seen the grace of God, rejoiced. And he encouraged all, with purpose of heart, to remain in the Lord.

When he got [there], he realized that God had acted kindly toward [the believers. So] he was very happy, and he continually encouraged all of the [believers] to continue to trust completely in the Lord [Jesus].

24 Because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a considerable multitude was added to the Lord.

Barnabas was a good man [whom] the Holy Spirit completely controlled, one who trusted [God] completely. [Because of what Barnabas did], many people [there] believed in the Lord [Jesus].

25 And Barnabas departed to Tarsus to seek Saul,

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus [in Cilicia province to try] to find Saul.

26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.

After he found him, Barnabas brought him [back to] Antioch [to help teach the believers. So during] a whole year [Barnabas and Saul] met [regularly] with the congregation [there] and taught many of them [about Jesus. It was] at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians {[that people] first called the believers Christians}.

27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

During the time [that Barnabas and Saul were] at Antioch, some [believers who were] prophets arrived there from Jerusalem.

28 And one of them named Agabus, after standing up, signified by the Spirit there was going be a great famine in the whole world, which also happened under Claudius Caesar.

One of them, whose name was Agabus, stood up [in order to speak]. [God’s] Spirit enabled him to prophesy (that there would soon be a famine in many countries/that [people] in many countries [HYP] would soon [suffer because they] would not have enough [food] to eat). (That famine happened when Claudius was the [Roman Emperor].)

29 And the disciples, as any man prospered, determined, each of them regarding aid, to send to the brothers who dwell in Judea,

When the believers [there heard what Agabus said], they decided that they would send [money] to help the believers who lived in Judea. Each [of them decided to give as much money] as he was able [to give].

30 which also they did, having sent it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

They sent [the money] with Barnabas and Saul to the leaders of the congregation [in Jerusalem].