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Acts 11

1
The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. Begin Abide·
2
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him Begin Abide·
3
and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.” Begin Abide·
4
But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events: Begin Abide·
5
“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me. Begin Abide·
6
I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. Begin Abide·
7
Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’ Begin Abide·
8
‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ Begin Abide·
9
But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ Begin Abide·
10
This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven. Begin Abide·
11
Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. Begin Abide·
12
The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home. Begin Abide·
13
He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. Begin Abide·
14
He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’ Begin Abide·
15
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning. Begin Abide·
16
Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ Begin Abide·
17
So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?” Begin Abide·
18
When they heard this, they had no further objections, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” Begin Abide·
19
Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews. Begin Abide·
20
But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. Begin Abide·
21
The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Begin Abide·
22
When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. Begin Abide·
23
When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts. Begin Abide·
24
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Begin Abide·
25
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, Begin Abide·
26
and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. Begin Abide·
27
In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. Begin Abide·
28
One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.) Begin Abide·
29
So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. Begin Abide·
30
This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul. Begin Abide·