Acts 11
11
Peter Reports That Non-Jewish People Can Belong to the Church
1The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that people who were not Jewish had accepted God’s word. 2However, when Peter went to Jerusalem, the believers who insisted on circumcision began to argue with him. 3They said, “You went to visit men who were uncircumcised, and you even ate with them.”
4Then Peter began to explain to them point by point what had happened. He said, 5“I was praying in the city of Joppa when I fell into a trance. I saw something like a large linen sheet being lowered by its four corners from the sky. The sheet came near me. 6I looked into the sheet very closely and saw tame animals, wild animals, reptiles, and birds. 7I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill these animals, and eat them.’
8“But I answered, ‘I can’t do that, Lord! I’ve never put anything impure or unclean #11:8 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God. into my mouth.’
9“A voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Don’t say that the things which God has made clean #11:9 “Clean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is presentable to God. are impure.’ 10This happened three times. Then everything was pulled back into the sky again.
11“At that moment three men arrived at the house where we were staying. They had been sent from Caesarea to find me. 12The Spirit told me to go with them without any hesitation. Six believers ⌞from Joppa⌟ went with me, and we visited Cornelius’ home.
13“He told us that he had seen an angel standing in his home. The angel told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man whose name is Simon Peter. 14He will give you a message that will save you and everyone in your home.’
15“When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came to these people. This was the same thing that happened to us in the beginning. 16I remembered that the Lord had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.’ 17When they believed, God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So who was I to interfere with God?”
18When the others heard this, they had no further objections. They praised God by saying, “Then God has also led people who are not Jewish to turn to him so that they can change the way they think and act and have eternal life.”
The New Church in Antioch
19Some of the believers who were scattered by the trouble that broke out following Stephen’s death went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and the city of Antioch. They spoke God’s word only to Jewish people. 20But other believers, who were from Cyprus and Cyrene, arrived in Antioch. They started to spread the Good News about the Lord Jesus to Greeks. 21The Lord’s power was with his followers, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22After the news about Antioch reached the church in Jerusalem, Barnabas was sent to Antioch. 23When he arrived there, he was pleased to see what God had done for them out of kindness.#11:23 Or “grace.” So he encouraged all the people to remain solidly committed to the Lord. 24Barnabas was a dependable man, and he was full of the Holy Spirit and faith. A large crowd believed in the Lord.
25Then Barnabas left Antioch to go to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul. 26After finding Saul, Barnabas brought him back to Antioch. Barnabas and Saul met with the church in Antioch for a whole year and taught a large group of people. The disciples were called Christians for the first time in the city of Antioch.
27At that time some prophets came from Jerusalem to the city of Antioch. 28One of them was named Agabus. Through the Spirit Agabus predicted that a severe famine would affect the entire world. This happened while Claudius was emperor. 29All the disciples in Antioch decided to contribute whatever they could afford to help the believers living in Judea. 30The disciples did this and sent their contribution with Barnabas and Saul to the leaders ⌞in Jerusalem⌟.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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