Acts 11
Peter explained to the Jerusalem church how he received a vision from God, in which he was told to eat unclean animals, symbolizing God's acceptance of the Gentiles. He then recounted how he was led by the Spirit to preach to the Gentiles in Caesarea, where they received the Holy Spirit just as the apostles had. The Jerusalem church accepted Peter's explanation and acknowledged that God had given the Gentiles repentance unto life. Meanwhile, the church in Antioch was growing, and Barnabas was sent to investigate and encourage the believers, and he brought Saul to join him in teaching the large multitude.
1Now the Apostles and brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God2Then, when Peter had gone up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision argued against him3saying, "Why did you enter to uncircumcised men, and why did you eat with them?4And Peter began to explain to them, in an orderly manner, saying5"I was in the city of Joppa praying, and I saw, in an ecstasy of mind, a vision: a certain container descending, like a great linen sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners. And it drew near to me6And looking into it, I considered and saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the reptiles, and the flying things of the air7Then I also heard a voice saying to me: ‘Rise up, Peter. Kill and eat.8But I said: ‘Never, lord! For what is common or unclean has never entered into my mouth.9Then the voice responded a second time from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, you shall not call common.10Now this was done three times. And then everything was taken up again into heaven11And behold, immediately there were three men standing near the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea12Then the Spirit told me that I should go with them, doubting nothing. And these six brothers went with me also. And we entered into the house of the man13And he described for us how he had seen an Angel in his house, standing and saying to him: ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter14And he shall speak to you words, by which you shall be saved with your whole house.15And when I had begun to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as upon us also, in the beginning16Then I remembered the words of the Lord, just as he himself said: ‘John, indeed, baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.17Therefore, if God gave them the same grace, as also to us, who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I would be able to prohibit God?18Having heard these things, they were silent. And they glorified God, saying: "So has God also given to the Gentiles repentance unto life.19And some of them, having been dispersed by the persecution that had occurred under Stephen, traveled around, even to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the Word to no one, except to Jews only20But some of these men from Cyprus and Cyrene, when they had entered into Antioch, were speaking also to the Greeks, announcing the Lord Jesus21And the hand of the Lord was with them. And a great number believed and were converted to the Lord22Now the news came to the ears of the Church at Jerusalem about these things, and they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch23And when he had arrived there and had seen the grace of God, he was gladdened. And he exhorted them all to continue in the Lord with a resolute heart24For he was a good man, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord25Then Barnabas set out for Tarsus, so that he might seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch26And they were conversing there in the Church for an entire year. And they taught such a great multitude, that it was at Antioch that the disciples were first known by the name of Christian27Now in these days, prophets from Jerusalem went over to Antioch28And one of them, named Agabus, rising up, signified through the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine over the entire world, which did happen under Claudius29Then the disciples declared, according to what each one possessed, what they would offer to be sent to the brothers living in Judea30And so they did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul
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