Acts, 11

1. The apostles and the brothers in Judaea heard that gentiles too had accepted the word of God,

1. Now the apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2. and when Peter came up to Jerusalem the circumcised believers protested to him

2. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him,

3. and said, 'So you have been visiting the uncircumcised and eating with them!'

3. saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?"

4. Peter in reply gave them the details point by point,

4. But Peter began and explained to them in order:

5. 'One day, when I was in the town of Jaffa,' he began, 'I fell into a trance as I was praying and had a vision of something like a big sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners. This sheet came right down beside me.

5. "I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, something descending, like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came down to me.

6. I looked carefully into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of heaven.

6. Looking at it closely I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air.

7. Then I heard a voice that said to me, "Now, Peter, kill and eat!"

7. And I heard a voice saying to me, `Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'

8. But I answered, "Certainly not, Lord; nothing profane or unclean has ever crossed my lips."

8. But I said, `No, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

9. And a second time the voice spoke from heaven, "What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane."

9. But the voice answered a second time from heaven, `What God has cleansed you must not call common.'

10. This was repeated three times, before the whole of it was drawn up to heaven again.

10. This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.

11. 'Just at that moment, three men stopped outside the house where we were staying; they had been sent from Caesarea to fetch me,

11. At that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesare'a.

12. and the Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going back with them. The six brothers here came with me as well, and we entered the man's house.

12. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brethren also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.

13. He told us he had seen an angel standing in his house who said, "Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter;

13. And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, `Send to Joppa and bring Simon called Peter;

14. he has a message for you that will save you and your entire household."

14. he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'

15. 'I had scarcely begun to speak when the Holy Spirit came down on them in the same way as it came on us at the beginning,

15. As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.

16. and I remembered that the Lord had said, "John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit."

16. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, `John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

17. I realised then that God was giving them the identical gift he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; and who was I to stand in God's way?'

17. If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"

18. This account satisfied them, and they gave glory to God, saying, 'God has clearly granted to the gentiles too the repentance that leads to life.'

18. When they heard this they were silenced. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life."

19. Those who had scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they proclaimed the message only to Jews.

19. Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoeni'cia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews.

20. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they started preaching also to the Greeks, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus to them.

20. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyre'ne, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

21. The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.

21. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord.

22. The news of them came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas out to Antioch.

22. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

23. There he was glad to see for himself that God had given grace, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion;

23. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose;

24. for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.

24. for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord.

25. Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul,

25. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul;

26. and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. And it happened that they stayed together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called 'Christians'.

26. and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians.

27. While they were there some prophets came down to Antioch from Jerusalem,

27. Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

28. and one of them whose name was Agabus, seized by the Spirit, stood up and predicted that a severe and universal famine was going to happen. This in fact happened while Claudius was emperor.

28. And one of them named Ag'abus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius.

29. The disciples decided to send relief, each to contribute what he could afford, to the brothers living in Judaea.

29. And the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea;

30. They did this and delivered their contributions to the elders through the agency of Barnabas and Saul.

30. and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.