Acts 11
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#11:2 Jewish believers Literally, “those of circumcision.” This may mean Jews who thought all followers of Christ must be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses. See Gal. 2:12. argued with him. 3They said, “You went into the homes of people who are not Jews and are not circumcised, and you even ate with them!”
4So Peter explained the whole story to them. He said, 5“I was in the city of Joppa. While I was praying, I had a vision. I saw something coming down from heaven. It looked like a big sheet being lowered to the ground by its four corners. It came down close to me, 6and I looked inside. I saw all kinds of animals, including wild ones, as well as reptiles and birds. 7I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill anything here and eat it!’
8“But I said, ‘I can’t do that, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is not pure or fit to be used for food.’
9“But the voice from heaven answered again, ‘God has made these things pure. Don’t say they are unfit to eat!’
10“This happened three times. Then the whole thing was taken back into heaven. 11Suddenly there were three men standing outside the house where I was staying. They had been sent from Caesarea to get me. 12The Spirit told me to go with them without wondering if it was all right. These six brothers here also went with me, and we went to the house of Cornelius. 13He told us about the angel he had seen standing in his house. The angel said, ‘Send some men to Joppa to get Simon, the one who is also called Peter. 14He will speak to you, and what he tells you will save you and everyone living in your house.’
15“After I began speaking, the Holy Spirit came on them just as he came on us at the beginning.#11:15 beginning The day of Pentecost described in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit came on Jesus’ first followers to give them power to begin their work of telling the world the Good News of salvation through Jesus. 16Then I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘John baptized people in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ 17God gave these people the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So how could I object to what God wanted to do?”
18When the Jewish believers heard this, they stopped arguing. They praised God and said, “So God is also allowing even those who are not Jews to change their hearts so that they can have the life he gives!”
The Good News Comes to Antioch
19The believers were scattered by the persecution#11:19 persecution A time when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were punishing people who believed in Christ. See Acts 8:1-4. that began when Stephen was killed. Some of them went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They told the Good News in these places, but only to Jews. 20Some of these believers were men from Cyprus and Cyrene. When these men came to Antioch, they began speaking to people who were not Jews.#11:20 people who were not Jews Literally, “Hellenists,” meaning people who have been influenced by Greek culture. Some Greek copies have “Greeks.” They told them the Good News about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord was helping these men, and a large number of people believed and decided to follow the Lord.
22When the church in Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23-24Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. When he went to Antioch and saw how God had blessed the believers there, he was very happy. He encouraged them all, saying, “Always be faithful to the Lord. Serve him with all your heart.” Many more people became followers of the Lord.
25Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul. 26When he found him, he brought him to Antioch. They stayed there a whole year. Every time the church came together, Barnabas and Saul met with them and taught many people. It was in Antioch that the followers of the Lord Jesus were called “Christ-followers” for the first time.
27About that same time some prophets went from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and spoke with the help of the Spirit. He said, “A very bad time is coming to the whole world. There will be no food for people to eat.” (This time of famine happened when Claudius was emperor.) 29The Lord’s followers decided that they would each send as much as they could to help their brothers and sisters who lived in Judea. 30They gathered the money and gave it to Barnabas and Saul, who took it to the elders in Judea.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Acts 11
11
Peter’s Report to the Church in Jerusalem
1The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2#Ac 10:45So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised disputed with him, 3#Ac 10:28; Lk 15:2saying, “You went in and ate with uncircumcised men!”
4#Lk 1:3Peter began explaining it to them in order, saying, 5#Ac 10:9–32“I was in the city of Joppa praying. And in a trance I saw a vision: A vessel like a great sheet was descending, let down from heaven by four corners, and it came to me. 6I considered what I had observed and saw four-footed creatures and wild beasts and reptiles and birds of the air. 7Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’
8#Ro 14:14“I said, ‘Not at all, Lord. For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’
9“The voice answered from heaven a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, do not call common.’ 10This happened three times. And again everything was taken up into heaven.
11“And immediately three men sent from Caesarea to me came to the house where I was. 12#Ac 8:29; 10:23The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation. Moreover these six brothers came with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13He told us how he had seen an angel in his house, who stood and said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter. 14#Ac 16:15; 10:22He will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’
15“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as He fell on us at the beginning. 16#Ac 1:5; Mt 3:11Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’#Am 9:11; Jer 12:15. 17#Ac 10:47If then God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?”
18#Ro 10:12–13; 2Co 7:10When they heard these things, they were silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then God has granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life.”
The Church in Antioch
19#Ac 4:36; 15:3Now those who were scattered by the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to no one except Jews. 20#Mt 27:32; Ac 13:1Some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21#Lk 1:66; Ac 2:47The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
22News of these things came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23#Ac 13:43; 14:22When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and exhorted them all to remain with the Lord with a loyal heart. 24#Ac 5:14; 11:21For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And many people were added to the Lord.
25#Ac 9:11; 9:30Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26#Ac 26:28; 1Pe 4:16When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a considerable crowd. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
27#Ac 13:1; 1Co 12:28; Ac 2:17In these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28#Ac 21:10; 18:2One of them, named Agabus, stood up and prophesied by the Spirit that there would be a great famine throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29Then every disciple, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea. 30#Ac 12:25; 14:23Indeed they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
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