The Acts 11

Peter Returns to Jerusalem

1The apostles and the believers in Judea heard that non-Jewish people had accepted God’s teaching too. 2But when Peter came to Jerusalem, some Jewish believers argued with him. 3They said, “You went into the homes of people who are not Jews and are not circumcised! You even ate with them!”

4So Peter explained the whole story to them. 5He said, “I was in the city of Joppa. While I was praying, I had a vision. In the vision, I saw something which looked like a big sheet coming down from heaven. It was being lowered to earth by its four corners. It came down very close to me, and 6I looked inside it. I saw animals, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds. 7I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ 8But I said, ‘No, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is unholy or unclean.’ 9But the voice from heaven answered again, ‘God has made these things clean. Don’t call them unholy!’ 10This happened three times. Then the whole thing was taken back to heaven. 11Right then three men came to the house where I was staying. They were sent to me from Caesarea. 12The Spirit told me to go with them without doubting. These six believers here also went with me. We went to the house of Cornelius. 13He told us about the angel he saw standing in his house. The angel said to him, ‘Send some men to Joppa and invite Simon Peter to come. 14He will speak to you. The things he will say will save you and all your family.’ 15When I began my speech, the Holy Spirit came on them just as he came on us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered the words of the Lord. He said, ‘John baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit!’ 17God gave to them the same gift that he gave to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So could I stop the work of God? No!”

18When the Jewish believers heard this, they stopped arguing. They praised God and said, “So God is allowing the non-Jewish people also to turn to him and live.”

The Good News Comes to Antioch

19Many of the believers were scattered by the terrible things that happened after Stephen was killed. Some of them went to places as far away as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They were telling the message to others, but only to Jews. 20Some of these believers were men from Cyprus and Cyrene. When they came to Antioch, they spoke also to Greeks,# Some Greek copies read “Hellenists,” non-Greeks who spoke Greek. telling them the Good News about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord was helping the believers. And a large group of people believed and turned to the Lord.

22The church in Jerusalem heard about all of this, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23-24Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith. When he reached Antioch and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad. He encouraged all the believers in Antioch. He told them, “Never lose your faith. Always obey the Lord with all your hearts.” Many people became followers of the Lord.

25Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul. 26When he found Saul, he brought him to Antioch. And for a whole year Saul and Barnabas met with the church. They taught many people there. In Antioch the followers were called Christians for the first time.

27About that time some prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them was named Agabus. He stood up and spoke with the help of the Holy Spirit. He said, “A very hard time is coming to the whole world. There will be no food for people to eat.” (This happened when Claudius ruled.) 29The followers all decided to help their brothers who lived in Judea. Each one planned to send them as much as he could. 30They gathered the money and gave it to Barnabas and Saul, who brought it to the elders in Judea.

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Acts 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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