Acts 11

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

Now the Apostles and the brothers who were in Judaea had news that the word of God had been given to the Gentiles.

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

And when Peter came to Jerusalem, those who kept the rule of circumcision had an argument with him,

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

Saying, You went to men without circumcision, and took food with them.

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

But Peter gave them an account of it all in order, saying to them,

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, at prayer: and falling into a deep sleep, I saw in a vision a vessel like a great cloth let down from heaven, and it came down to me:

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

And looking on it with attention I saw in it all sorts of beasts and birds.

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

And a voice came to my ears saying, Come, Peter; take them for food.

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

But I said, No, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever come into my mouth.

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

But the voice, coming a second time from heaven, said, What God has made clean, do not you make common.

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

And this was done three times, and they were all taken up again into heaven.

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.

And at that minute, three men, sent from Caesarea, came to the house where 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.

And the Spirit gave me orders to go with them, doubting nothing. And these six brothers came with me; and we went into that 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,

And he gave us an account of how he had seen the angel in his house, saying, Send to Joppa, and get Simon, named Peter, to come to you;

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

Who will say words to you through which you and all your family may get salvation.

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

And, while I was talking to them, the Holy Spirit came on them, as on us at first.

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

And the words of the Lord came into my mind, how he said, The baptism of John was with water, but you will have baptism 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?”

If then God gave them, when they had faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the same as he gave to us, who was I to go against 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.”

And hearing these things they said nothing more, but gave glory to God, saying, Then to the Gentiles as to us has God given a change of heart, so that they may have 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.

Then those who had gone away at the time of the trouble about Stephen, went as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus, preaching to the Jews only.

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.

But some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, when they came to Antioch, gave the good news about the Lord Jesus to the Greeks.

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

And the power of the Lord was with them, and a great number had faith and were turned to the Lord.

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

And news of them came to the ears of the church at Jerusalem: and they sent Barnabas as far as 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.

Who, when he came and saw the grace of God, was glad; and he made clear to them the need of keeping near the Lord with all the strength of their hearts:

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 he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and a great number were joined to the Lord.

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

Then he went on to Tarsus, looking 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 come across him, he took him to Antioch. And they were with the church there for a year, teaching the people; and the disciples were first given the name of Christians in Antioch.

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

Now in those days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.

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.)

And one of them, named Agabus, said publicly through the Spirit that there would be serious need of food all over the earth: which came about in the time 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.

And the disciples, everyone as he was able, made a decision to send help to the brothers living in Judaea:

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

Which they did, sending it to the rulers of the church by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.