Acts 11

1 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].

NOW the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 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].

And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, they of the circumcision disputed with him,

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

saying, Thou hast gone in to men holding uncircumcision, and hast eaten with them.

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

Then Peter taking up the matter from the beginning, explained it to them regularly, saying,

5 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.

I was in the city of Joppa praying and I saw in a trance a vision, a certain vessel descending as a vast sheet let down from heaven by its four corners; and it came close to me:

6 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.

on which looking attentively, I perceived, and saw the quadrupeds of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the reptiles, and the birds of the air.

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

Then I heard a voice saying to me, Rise, Peter; slay and eat.

8 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]!’

But I said, By no means, Lord: for never yet hath any thing common or unclean entered into my mouth.

9 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]!’

But the voice replied the second time from heaven, What God hath cleansed, call not thou common.

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

Now this was repeated thrice: and the whole withdrawn again into heaven.

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

And, lo! immediately three men stood before the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.

12 [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.

And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no hesitation. But with me went also these six brethren, and we entered into the man’s house:

13 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.

and he informed us how he had seen an angel in his house, standing and saying to him, Send men to Joppa, and invite Simon, who is surnamed Peter;

14 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}.’

who will speak words to thee, by which thou mayest be saved, and thy house.

15 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].

So when I had begun to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, just as on us at the beginning.

16 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.’]

Then I recollected the word of the Lord, how he had said, John indeed baptised with water; but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost.

17 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]!”

If God then gave an equal gift to them even as to us, on believing on the Lord Jesus Christ; I, indeed, who was I, that I should be able to restrain God?

18 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]!”

So when they heard these things they were satisfied, and glorified God, saying, Well! then hath God even to the Gentiles given repentance unto life.

19 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.

Now those also who were dispersed by the persecution which arose on account of Stephen passed on as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no man except the Jews only.

20 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].

And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they arrived at Antioch, spake to the Grecian proselytes, preaching the Lord Jesus.

21 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].

And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a vast multitude believing, turned to the Lord.

22 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.

And the report concerning them was heard in the ears of the church which was at Jerusalem: and they dispatched Barnabas, to go as far as Antioch.

23 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].

Who, when he arrived there, and beheld the grace of God, rejoiced, and exhorted them all, with full purpose of heart to adhere to the Lord.

24 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].

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and a great multitude was added to the Lord.

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

Then went forth Barnabas to Tarsus, in search of Saul:

26 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}.

and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that during a whole year they were jointly employed in that church, and taught a vast multitude, and they called for the first time in Antioch the disciples Christians.

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

Now there came down in those days prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch.

28 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].)

And one of them named Agabus, rising up, signified by the spirit that a great famine was coming upon the whole habitable globe: which also came in the reign of Claudius Caesar.

29 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].

Then the disciples, as everyman had ability, determined every individual of them to send a sum to be distributed among the brethren who dwelt in Judea:

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

which also they did, sending it off to the presbyters by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.