New Living Translation

Holman Christian Standard Bible

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

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

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

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

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

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

4Then Peter told them exactly what had happened.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?”

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?"

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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,

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

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

25Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,

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.)

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.

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

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

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.)

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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