Acts 11-12

American Standard Version

11 Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, ³ saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. ⁴ But Peter began, and expounded the matter unto them in order, saying, ⁵ I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even unto me: ⁶ upon which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the fourfooted beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the heaven. ⁷ And I heard also a voice saying unto me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. ⁸ But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth. ⁹ But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. ¹⁰ And this was done thrice: and all were drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ And behold, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, having been sent from Caesarea unto me. ¹² And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brethren also accompanied me; and we entered into the man’s house: ¹³ and he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter; ¹⁴ who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house. ¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized ^[a]in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God? ¹⁸ And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then to the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life.

¹⁹ They therefore that were scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews. ²⁰ But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the ^[b]Greeks also, ^[c]preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. ²² And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch: ²³ who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, ^[d]that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord: ²⁴ for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. ²⁵ And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together ^[e]with the church, and taught much people; and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

²⁷ Now in these days there came down prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. ²⁸ And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over all ^[f]the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius. ²⁹ And the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send ^[g]relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judaea: ³⁰ which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

12 Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church. ² And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ³ And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread. ⁴ And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. ⁵ Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him. ⁶ And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. ⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. ⁸ And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. ⁹ And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done ^[h]by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. ¹⁰ And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him. ¹¹ And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. ¹² And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together and were praying. ¹³ And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda. ¹⁴ And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the gate. ¹⁵ And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel. ¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. ¹⁷ But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place. ¹⁸ Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. ¹⁹ And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be ^[i]put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and tarried there.

²⁰ Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king’s country. ²¹ And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the ^[j]throne, and made an oration unto them. ²² And the people shouted, saying, The voice of a god, and not of a man. ²³ And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

²⁴ But the word of God grew and multiplied.

²⁵ And Barnabas and Saul returned ^[k]from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark.