1 T he missionaries and followers who were in the country of Judea heard that the people who were not Jews also had received the Word of God.

Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 W hen Peter went up to Jerusalem, the Jewish followers argued with him.

And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him,

3 T hey said, “Why did you visit those people who are not Jews and eat with them?”

saying, “ You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

4 T hen Peter began to tell all that had happened from the beginning to the end. He said,

But Peter began speaking and proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence, saying,

5 “ While I was praying in the city of Joppa, I saw in a dream something coming down from heaven. It was like a large linen cloth let down by the four corners until it came to me.

“ I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came right down to me,

6 A s I looked at it, I saw four-footed animals and snakes of the earth and birds of the sky.

and when I had fixed my gaze on it and was observing it I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the air.

7 I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill something and eat it.’

I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’

8 B ut I said, ‘No, Lord! Nothing that is unclean has ever gone into my mouth.’

But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

9 T he voice from heaven said the second time, ‘What God has made clean you must not say is unclean.’

But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘ What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’

10 T his happened three times and then it was taken up again to heaven.

This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky.

11 “ Three men had already come to the house where I was staying. They had been sent to me from the city of Caesarea.

And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea.

12 T he Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not doubt about going. These six men also went with me to this man’s house.

The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house.

13 H e told us how he had seen an angel in his own home. The angel had stood in front of him and said, ‘Send men to Joppa to ask for Simon Peter.

And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;

14 H e will tell you and all your family how you can be saved from the punishment of sin.’

and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’

15 “ As I began to talk to them, the Holy Spirit came down on them just as He did on us at the beginning.

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.

16 T hen I remembered the Lord had said, ‘John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘ John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

17 I f God gave to them the same gift He gave to us after we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I stand against God?”

Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

18 W hen they heard these words, they said nothing more. They thanked God, saying, “Then God has given life also to the people who are not Jews. They have this new life by being sorry for their sins and turning from them.” The Followers Are Called Christians First In Antioch

When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.” The Church at Antioch

19 T hose who went different places because of the trouble that started over Stephen had gone as far as the cities of Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch. They had preached the Word, but only to the Jews.

So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.

20 S ome of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene returned to Antioch. They preached the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Greek people there.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

21 T he Lord gave them power. Many people put their trust in the Lord and turned to Him.

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

22 T he news of this came to the church in Jerusalem. They sent Barnabas to Antioch.

The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.

23 W hen he got there and saw how good God had been to them, he was full of joy. He told them to be true and faithful to the Lord.

Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;

24 B arnabas was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And many people became followers of the Lord.

for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.

25 F rom there Barnabas went on to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul.

And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul;

26 W hen he found Saul, he brought him back with him to Antioch. For a year they taught many people in the church. The followers were first called Christians in Antioch. The Antioch Church Helps the Jerusalem Church

and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

27 A t that time some men who preached God’s Word came to Antioch and told what was going to happen. They were from Jerusalem.

Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

28 O ne of them was Agabus. The Holy Spirit told him to stand up and speak. He told them there would be very little food to eat over all the world. This happened when Claudius was leader of the country.

One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.

29 T he Christians agreed that each one should give what money he could to help the Christians living in Judea.

And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.

30 T hey did this and sent it to the church leaders with Barnabas and Saul.

And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.