Acts 11

1. Now the apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God;

2. And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision disputed with him,

3. Saying, “You went in to men who were uncircumcised and did eat with them.”

4. But Peter related the event from the beginning and expounded everything in order to them, saying,

5. “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and I saw in a trance a vision, a certain vessel descending from heaven like a great sheet let down by four corners, and it came all the way to me.

6. Then I looked closely at it, considering it, and saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, including the wild beasts, and the creeping things and the birds of heaven.

7. And I heard a voice say to me, ‘Arise, Peter, kill and eat.’

8. But I said, ‘In no way, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’

9. Then a voice from heaven answered me the second time, saying, ‘What God has cleansed, you are not to call common.’

10. And this happened three times; then everything was drawn up again into heaven.

11. And behold, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea immediately stood at the house in which I was.

12. And the Spirit said to me, ‘Go with them, doubting nothing.’ And these six brethren also went with me; and we entered into the house of the man,

13. And he related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon who is surnamed Peter,

14. Who shall speak words to you whereby you and all your house shall be saved.’

15. And when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came upon them, even as it also came upon us in the beginning.

16. Then 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.’

17. Therefore, if God also gave them the same gift that was given to us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to dissent? Do I have the power to forbid God?”

18. And after hearing these things, they were silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also has God indeed granted repentance unto life.”

19. Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose concerning Stephen went through Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews only.

20. But certain men among them who were Cypriots and Cyrenians came to Antioch and spoke to the Greeks, preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus.

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

22. Now the report concerning them was heard in the ears of the church that was in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.

23. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced; and he exhorted them all to cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart,

24. For he was a good man, and was filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large multitude was added to the Lord.

25. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek Saul;

26. And after finding him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass that for a whole year they assembled together with the church and taught a great multitude. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

27. Now in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch;

28. And one from among them, named Agabus, stood up and signified by the Spirit that there would be a great famine throughout the whole world, which also came to pass under Claudius Caesar.

29. And each of the disciples, everyone according as he had prospered, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea;

30. Which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.