Acts 11

1 And it was reported to the legates and the brethren in Judaea, that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 And when Simon went up to Jerusalem, they who were of the circumcision contended with him,

3 saying; that he had gone in to be with uncircumcised persons, and had eaten with them.

4 And Simon began to address them methodically:

5 As I was in Joppa, praying, I saw in vision, that a certain vessel descended, which was like a sheet, and it was tied at its four corners; and it descended from heaven and came to me.

6 And I looked upon it, and I saw that in it were fourfooted animals, and reptiles of the earth, and fowls of heaven.

7 And I heard a voice, which said to me: Simon, arise slay and eat.

8 And I said: Far be it, my Lord. For never hath any thing polluted or unclean entered my mouth.

9 And again, a voice from heaven said to me: What God hath cleansed, make thou not unclean.

10 And this was done three times: and the whole was taken up to heaven.

11 And at the same instant, three men, who were sent to me by Cornelius from Caesarea, came and stood at the gate of the court where I lodged.

12 And the Spirit said to me: Go with them, without hesitation. And these six brethren went also with me, and we entered the man's house.

13 And he related to us, how he had seen an angel in his house, who stood and said to him: Send to the city of Joppa, and bring Simon who is called Cephas;

14 and he will utter to thee discourses, by which thou wilt live, thou and all thy house.

15 And when I there commenced speaking, the Holy Spirit overshadowed them, as it did us from the beginning.

16 And I remembered the word of our Lord, when he said: John baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

17 If then God equally gave the gift to the Gentiles that believed in our Lord Jesus Messiah, as he did to us: who was I, that I could forbid God?

18 And when they heard these words, they desisted; and they glorified God and said: Now to the Gentiles also doth God give repentance unto life.

19 And they who were dispersed, by the oppression which occurred on account of Stephen, travelled as far as Phenicia, and even to the country of Cyprus, and to Antioch, speaking the word to none except to Jews only.

20 And there were some of them from Cyprus and from Cyrene, who went up to Antioch, and spoke to the Greeks, and preached concerning our Lord Jesus.

21 And the hand of the Lord was with them; and many believed, and turned to the Lord.

22 And this came to the ears of the sons of the church at Jerusalem: and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

23 And when he came there, and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced: and he entreated them, that with all their heart, they would adhere to our Lord.

24 For he was a good man, and was full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith. And many people were added to our Lord.

25 And he went away to Tarsus, to seek for Saul.

26 And when he had found him, he brought him with him to Antioch. And a whole year they met together in the church, and instructed many people. From that time forth, the disciples were first called CHRISTIANS, at Antioch.

27 In those days came prophets thither from Jerusalem.

28 And one of them whose name was Agabus, stood up and informed them, by the Spirit, that there would be a great famine in all the country. And that famine occurred in the days of Claudius Caesar.

29 And moreover the disciples, each of them according to his several ability, determined to send to the relief of the brethren who dwelt in Judaea.

30 And they sent, by the hand of Barnabas and Saul, unto the Elders there.