Peter
Explains His Actions
The
Apostles and the Brothers throughout Judea heard
That
the Gentiles also had received the Word of God.
2
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem,
The
Circumcised Believers Criticized him and said,
3
'YOU WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF UNCIRCUMCISED MEN
AND
ATE WITH THEM.'
4
Peter began and explained everything to them
Precisely
as it had happened:
'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.
6
IF LOOKED INTO IT
AND
SAW FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS OF THE EARTH,
WILD
BEASTS, REPTILES, AND BIRDS OF THE AIR.
7
THEN I HEARD A VOICE TELLING ME,
'GET
UP, PETER. KILL AND EAT.'
8 I
REPLIED, 'SURELY NOT, LORD!
NOTHING
IMPURE OR UNCLEAN
HAS
EVER ENTERED MY MOUTH.
9
THE VOICE SPOKE FORM HEAVEN A SECON TIME,
'DO
NOT CALL ANYTHING UMPURE THAT GOD HAS MADE CLEAN.'
10
THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES,
AND
THEN IT WAS ALL PULLED UP TO HEAVEN AGAIN.
11
Right then Three men
Who
had been sent to me from Caesarea
Stopped
at the house where I was staying.
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.
13
HE TOLD US HOW
HE
AHD SEEN AN ANGEL APPEAR IN HIS HOUSE SAY,
'SEND
TO JOPPA FOR SIMON WHO IS CALLED PETER.
14
HE WILL BRING YOU A MESSAGE
THROUGH
WHICH YOU AND ALL YOUR HOUSEHOLD
WILL
BE SAVED.'
15
'AS I BEGAIN TO SPEAK,
THE
HOLY SPIRIT CAME ON THEM
AS
HE HAD COME ON US AT THE BEGINNING.
16
Then I remembered what the Lord had said,
'JOHN
BAPTIZED WITH WATER,
BUT
YOU WILL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.'
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!'
When
they heard this,
they
had no further Objections
And
Praised God, saying,
'SO
THEN, GOD HAS EVEN GRANTED THE GENTILES
REPENTANCE
UNTO LIFE.'
The
Church In Antioch
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 TO ONLY SOME JEWS.
20
Some of them, however,
Men
from Cyprus and Cyrene,
Went
to Antioch
AND
BEGAN TO SPEAK TO GREEKS ALSO,
ABOUT
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE LORD JESUS.
21
THE LORD'S HAND WAS WITH THEM,
AND
A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE BELIEVED
AND
TURNED TO THE LORD.
22
News of this reached the ears of the Church at Jerusalem,
And
they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
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.
24
HE WAS A GOOD MAN,
AND
A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WERE
BROUGHT TO THE LORD.
25
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26
and when he found him,
He
brought him to Antioch.
27
During this time
Some
Prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
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.)
29
The disciples, each according to his ability,
Decided
to provide help for the Brothers
Living
in Judea.
30
This they did,
Sending
their Gift to the Elders
By
Barnabas and Saul.
Acts
11)
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