Acts 11

Now the apostles and the brothers being throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those from the circumcision were disputing with him,

saying that he went in to men having foreskins and ate with them. \*

But Peter, beginning, was explaining to them in order, saying,

“I was praying in the city of Joppa, and in a trance I saw a vision of a certain container coming down, like a large sheet being let down from the sky by {its} four corners, and it came unto me,

gazing into which I was looking closely and I saw the four-legged animals of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping animals, and the birds of the sky. \*

Then I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Peter, arising, kill and eat!’

But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for the common or unclean has never entered into my mouth.’

But the voice answered for a second {time} from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, you, do not make common!’

And this happened three times, and everything was pulled up to the sky again. \*

And behold, immediately three men stood at the house in which we were, having been sent from Caesarea to me.

And the Spirit said to me to go with them, not hesitating. And these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the house of the man.

Then he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, called Peter.

He will speak words to you by which you will be saved—you and all your house.’ \*

But as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as also on us in the beginning.

Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how he was saying, ‘John indeed baptized with water; but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ \*

If, therefore, God gave to them the same gift as also to us having believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, I, who was I {to be} able to hinder God?”

And having heard these things, they became quiet and glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has given repentance unto life.” \*

Then indeed the ones having been scattered from the persecution having happened over Stephen spread to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except only to Jews.

But some of them were men, Cypriots and Cyrenians, who, having come to Antioch, were speaking also to the Greeks, proclaiming the Lord Jesus.

And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number, believing, turned to the Lord. \*

And the report about them came to the ears of the church that was in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas as far as Antioch,

who, having come and having seen the grace of God, rejoiced and was encouraging {them} all to remain with the Lord with purpose of heart.

For he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a considerable crowd was added to the Lord. \*

And he went out to Tarsus to search for Saul.

And having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it happened to them that for even a whole year they were gathered together with the church and taught a considerable crowd. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. \*

Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

And one of them, Agabus by name, having arisen, signified through the Spirit {that} a great famine was about to occur over the whole world. This happened upon Claudius. \*

So they determined, just as any of the disciples was prospering, each of them to send {something} for assistance to the brothers living in Judea,

which indeed they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. \*