11:1 The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him

11:3 and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them."

11:4 Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened:

11:5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was.

11:6 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.

11:7 Then I heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'

11:8 "I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

11:9 "The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'

11:10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.

11:11 "Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.

11:12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house.

11:13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.

11:14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.'

11:15 "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.

11:16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

11:17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"

11:18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life."

11:19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews.

11:20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

11:21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

11:22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

11:23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

11:24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

11:25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,

11:26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

11:27 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

11:28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)

11:29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea.

11:30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.