Shared Word Translation
Acts 11
Peter Reports to the Church
Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision were contending with him, saying, “You went in to men having uncircumcision and ate with them.”
But Peter began and explained to them in order, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by four corners, and it came as far as me; looking intently at it, I was considering and saw the four-footed animals of the earth and wild beasts and reptiles and birds of the sky.
And I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, you must not call common.’
And this happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, immediately three men stood at the house in which we were, having been sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. And these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the man’s house.
And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter, who will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as also upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as also to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?”
And hearing these things, they became silent, and they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life.”
The Church in Antioch
Therefore those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews only.
But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and were speaking also to the Greeks, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
And the report about them came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch, who, coming and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced and was encouraging them all to remain with the Lord with steadfast purpose of heart, for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And a considerable crowd was added to the Lord.
And he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and finding him, he brought him to Antioch. And it happened that for a whole year they were gathered together in the church and taught a considerable crowd; and in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Famine Relief Sent to Judea
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and signified through the Spirit that a great famine was about to come over the whole inhabited world—which happened in the days of Claudius.
So the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers dwelling in Judea; which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.