Acts 11

1 The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

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

2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him

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

3 and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

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

4 But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events:

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

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.

‘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 I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.

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

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

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

8 ‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for 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 But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that 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 everything was drawn back up into heaven.

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

11 Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.

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 accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.

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 told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is 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 He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’

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

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at 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 the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘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 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?”

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 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.”

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 Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to 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 some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news 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 hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

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 When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, 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 the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.

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 faith, and a great number of 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 to Tarsus to look for Saul,

Afterwards Barnabas left for 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.

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 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

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

28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under 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 So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

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

30 This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

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