Chapter 11

Now the apostles and the brethren all over Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

But when Peter went up to Jerusalem, they of the circumcision found fault with him,

saying, "Why didst thou visit men uncircumcised and eat with them? "

Then Peter began to explain the matter to them in order, saying,

"I was praying in the city of Joppa and while in ecstasy I had a vision, a certain vessel coming down something like a great sheet, let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me.

And gazing upon it, I began to observe, and I saw the four-footed creatures of the earth, and the wild beasts and the creeping things, and the birds of the air.

And I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Arise, Peter, kill and eat. '

And I said, 'By no means, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth. '

But the voice answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed, do not thou call common. '

This happened three times, and then it was all drawn up back into heaven.

And behold, immediately three men came to the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me;

and the Spirit bade me not to hesitate to go with them. And these six brethren also went with me, and we entered the man's house.

And he told us how he had seen the angel in his house stand and say to him, 'Send to Joppa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter;

he will speak to thee words by which thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy household. '

But when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as it did upon us at the beginning.

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

Therefore, if God gave to them the same grace as he gave to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I should be able to interfere with God? "

On hearing this they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, "Therefore to the Gentiles also God has given repentance unto life." The Converts at Antioch

Now those who had been dispersed by the persecution that had broken out over Stephen, went all the way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except to Jews only.

But some of them were Cyprians and Cyreneans, who on reaching Antioch began to speak to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

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

And news concerning them came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

Now when he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and exhorted them all to continue in the Lord with steadfast heart;

for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord.

And he went forth to Tarsus to look for Saul, and on finding him he brought him to Antioch.

And for a whole year they took part in the meetings of the church and taught a great multitude. And it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called "Christians."

Now in those days some prophets from Jerusalem came down to Antioch,

and one of them named Agabus got up and revealed through the Spirit that there would be a great famine all over the world. The famine occurred in the reign of Claudius.

So the disciples, each according to his means, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.

And this they did, sending it to the presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.