ACTS Chapter 11 - Peter Explains His Actions

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)