Acts 11
Peter Defends God’s Grace
1
Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea
heard that the Gentiles had also received the
word of God.
2
And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of
the circumcision contended with him,
3
saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and
ate with them!”
4
But Peter explained it to them in order
from the beginning, saying:
5
“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.
6
When I observed it intently and considered, I
saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild
beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
7
And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter;
kill and eat.’
8
But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or
unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’
9
But the voice answered me again from heaven,
‘What God has cleansed you must not call
common.’
10
Now this was done three times, and all were
drawn up again into heaven.
11
At that very moment, three men stood before the
house where I was, having been sent to me from
Caesarea.
12
Then the Spirit told me to go with them,
doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren
accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.
13
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,
14 who will tell you words by which you
and all your household will be saved.’
15
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell
upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
16
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.’
17
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?”
18 When they heard these things they
became silent; and they glorified God, saying,
“Then God has also granted to the Gentiles
repentance to life.”Barnabas and Saul
at Antioch
19
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.
20
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.
21 And the hand of the Lord was with them,
and a great number believed and turned to the
Lord.
22
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.
23
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.
24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy
Spirit and of faith. And a great many people
were added to the Lord.
25
Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.
26
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.Relief to Judea
27
And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem
to Antioch.
28
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.
29
Then the disciples, each according to his
ability, determined to send relief to the
brethren dwelling in Judea.
30
This they also did, and sent it to the elders by
the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
