New King James Version

New Living Translation

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

1Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.

2And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,

2But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him.

3saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

3“You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.

4But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:

4Then Peter told them exactly what had happened.

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

5“I was in the town of Joppa,” he said, “and while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me.

6When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

6When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of tame and wild animals, reptiles, and birds.

7And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’

7And I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.’

8But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’

8“‘No, Lord,’ I replied. ‘I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean. ’

9But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’

9“But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’

10Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.

10This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.

11At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.

11“Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying.

12Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.

12The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us.

13And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,

13He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter.

14who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’

14He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!’

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

15“As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning.

16Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

16Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

17If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

17And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

18When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

18When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” The Church in Antioch of Syria

19Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.

19Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.

20But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.

20However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.

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

21The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

22Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.

22When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

23When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.

23When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.

24For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

24Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.

25Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.

25Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul.

26And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

26When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)

27And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.

27During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch.

28Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.

28One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.)

29Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.

29So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could.

30This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

30This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.