Acts of the Apostles 11
- Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
- And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,
- saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
- But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:
- “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.
- “When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four–footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
- “And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’
- “But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’
- “But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’
- “Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
- “At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.
- “Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.
- “And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,
- ‘who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’
- “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
- “Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
- “If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”
- When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”
- Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.
- But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.
- And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
- Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
- When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
- For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
- Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.
- And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
- And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.
- Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.
- Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.
- This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.