Acts of the Apostles 11
11
Peter Explains His Actions
1Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers#11:1 Greek brothers. in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. 2But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers#11:2 Greek those of the circumcision. criticized him. 3“You entered the home of Gentiles#11:3 Greek of uncircumcised men. and even ate with them!” they said.
4Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. 5“I was in the town of Joppa,” he said, “and while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me. 6When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of tame and wild animals, reptiles, and birds. 7And I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.’
8“‘No, Lord,’ I replied. ‘I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean.#11:8 Greek anything common or unclean.’
9“But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’ 10This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.
11“Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. 12The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us. 13He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 14He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!’
15“As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. 16Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with#11:16 Or in; also in 11:16b. water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”
18When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”
The Church in Antioch of Syria
19Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. 20However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles#11:20 Greek the Hellenists (i.e., those who speak Greek); other manuscripts read the Greeks. about the Lord Jesus. 21The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.
22When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.
25Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers#11:26 Greek disciples; also in 11:29. were first called Christians.)
27During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters#11:29 Greek the brothers. in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.
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Acts of the Apostles 11: NLT
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Acts 11
11
Peter’s Report to Jerusalem
1Now the emissaries and brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
2But when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision took issue with him,
3saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
4So Peter began explaining to them point by point, saying,
5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision—something like a great sheet coming down, being lowered from heaven by its four corners, and it came right to me.
6I looked inside, considering it carefully, and saw four-footed creatures of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the air.
7I also heard a voice saying, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
8“But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord! For never has anything unholy or unclean entered my mouth.’
9But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider unholy.’
10This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven.
11“At that very moment, three men arrived at the house where we were, sent to me from Caesarea.
12The Ruach told me to go with them without hesitating. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house.
13He reported to us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon called Peter.
14He will speak words to you by which you will be saved—you and all your household.’
15“As I began to speak, the Ruach ha-Kodesh fell on them, just as on us at the beginning.
16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John immersed with water, but you will be immersed in the Ruach ha-Kodesh.’
17Therefore if God gave them the same gift as also to us after we put our trust in the Lord Messiah Yeshua, who was I to stand in God’s way?”
18When they heard this they became quiet, and they glorified God, saying, “Then even to the Gentiles God has granted repentance leading to life!”
Discipling in Diaspora
19Now those scattered because of the persecution that happened in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Judeans.
20However, there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Yeshua.
21The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
22News about these things reached the ears of the community in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was thrilled. He encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with heartfelt devotion.
24For Barnabas was a good man, full of the Ruach ha-Kodesh and faith. And a large number was added to the Lord.
25Then Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for Saul,
26and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met together with Messiah’s community and taught a large number. Now it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christianoi.”
27Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted through the Ruach that there was going to be a great famine over all the world. (This took place during the reign of Claudius.)
29So the disciples decided to send relief to those brothers and sisters living in Judea, each according to his ability.
30This they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
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