Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had welcomed God's message also.

1Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2When Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who stressed circumcision argued with him,

2And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him,

3saying, "You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them!"

3saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them."

4Peter began to explain to them in an orderly sequence, saying: "

4But Peter began speaking and proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence, saying,

5I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a visionary state, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me.

5"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,

6When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky.

6and 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.

7Then I also heard a voice telling me, Get up, Peter; kill and eat!'"

7"I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.'

8No, Lord!' I said. 'For nothing common or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth!'

8"But I said, 'By no means, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

9But a voice answered from heaven a second time, 'What God has made clean, you must not call common.'"

9"But a voice from heaven answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.'

10Now this happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into heaven.

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

11At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were.

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

12Then the Spirit told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers accompanied me, and we went into the man's house.

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

13He reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter.

13"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;

14He will speak a message to you that you and all your household will be saved by.'"

14and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'

15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning.

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

16Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

16"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.'

17Therefore, if God gave them the same gift that He also gave to us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?"

17"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?"

18When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, "So God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!"

18When 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."

19Those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one except Jews.

19So 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.

20But there were some of them, Cypriot and Cyrenian men, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.

20But 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.

21The Lord's hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

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

22Then the report about them was heard by the church that was at Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch.

22The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.

23When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with a firm resolve of the heart,

23Then 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;

24for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord.

24for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.

25Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,

25And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul;

26and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

26and 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.

27In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

27Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

28Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the time of Claudius.

28One 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.

29So each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea.

29And 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.

30They did this, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.

30And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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