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].
The Apostles and the Brethren throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God’s Message.
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].
But, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who were converts from Judaism began to attack him,
3 They said to him, “Not only was it wrong for you(sg) to visit non-Jewish people, you [even] ate with them!”
on the ground that he had visited people who were not circumcised, and had taken meals with them.
4 So Peter began to explain exactly [what had happened concerning Cornelius].
So Peter began to relate the facts to them as they had occurred.
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 town of Jaffa,” 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 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.
Looking intently at it, I began to distinguish quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds;
7 Then I heard God [MTY] commanding me, ‘Peter, get up, kill [some of these], and [cook and] eat [their meat]!’
and I also heard a voice saying to me — ‘Stand up, Peter, kill something 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]!’
‘No, Lord, I cannot,’ I answered, ‘for nothing ‘defiled’ or ‘unclean’ has ever passed my lips.’
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]!’
Then a second time there came a voice from the heavens. “What God has pronounced ‘clean’,” it said, “you must not call ‘defiled’.”
10 Then [after that happened three times, the sheet with] all [those animals and birds] was pulled up into heaven again.”
This happened three times, and then all was drawn up again into the heavens.
11 “At that exact moment, three men who had been {whom [Cornelius] had} sent from Caesarea arrived 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 [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.
The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation. These six Brothers also went with me. And, when we came 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.
he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and how the angel had said to him — ‘Send to Jaffa and fetch the Simon, who is also known as 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}.’
for he will tell you truths, which will prove the means of Salvation to you and all your household.’
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].
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 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.’]
and I recalled the saying of the Master — ‘John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
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]!”
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 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]!”
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 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 who had been scattered in different directions, in consequence of the persecution that followed upon the death of Stephen, went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the Message — but only to Jews.
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].
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 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].
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 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.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to 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].
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 [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 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 [in Cilicia province to try] to find Saul.
Afterwards Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for 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, 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 During the time [that Barnabas and Saul were] at Antioch, some [believers who were] prophets arrived there from Jerusalem.
During this time, some Prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem.
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].)
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 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].
So the disciples, without exception, determined, in proportion to their means, to send something to help the Brethren living in Judea.
30 They sent [the money] with Barnabas and Saul to the leaders of the congregation [in Jerusalem].
And this they did, sending it to the Officers of the Church by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
