使徒行传 11
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
彼得向耶路撒冷教會報告
11 使徒和在猶太的弟兄們，聽說外族人也接受了 神的道。 2 彼得上到耶路撒冷的時候，那些守割禮的人與他爭論， 3 說：“你竟然到未受割禮的人那裡，跟他們一起吃飯！” 4 彼得就按著次序向他們講解，說： 5 “我在約帕城禱告的時候，魂遊象外，見到異象：有一件東西，好像一塊大布，綁著四角，從天上降下來，一直來到我面前。 6 我定睛觀察，看見裡面有地上的四足牲畜、走獸，還有昆蟲和天空的飛鳥。 7 我也聽見有聲音對我說：‘彼得，起來，宰了吃！’ 8 我說：‘主啊，千萬不可，因為俗物或不潔的東西，從來沒有進過我的口。’ 9 第二次又有聲音從天上回答：‘ 神所潔淨的，你不可當作俗物。’ 10 這樣一連三次之後，所有的東西都拉回天上去了。 11 就在那個時候，有三個從該撒利亞派到我這裡來的人，站在我住的房子門前。 12 聖靈吩咐我跟他們一起去，一點也不要疑惑。這六位弟兄也跟我一起去，我們就進了那人的家。 13 他告訴我們，他怎樣看見天使站在他家裡說：‘派人到約帕去，請那個名叫彼得的西門來， 14 他有話要告訴你，使你和你全家都可以得救。’ 15 我一開始講話，聖靈就降在他們身上，正像當初降在我們身上一樣。 16 我就想起主所說的話：‘約翰用水施洗，但你們要受聖靈的洗。’ 17 神既然把同樣的恩賜（“恩賜”或譯：“恩賞”）給他們，像給我們這些信了主耶穌基督的人一樣，我是誰，我能夠阻止 神嗎？” 18 眾人聽見這些話，就默然無聲，把榮耀歸給 神，說：“這樣看來， 神也把悔改的心賜給外族人，使他們得生命。”
安提阿的教會
19 那些因司提反事件遭受苦難而四散的門徒，一直走到腓尼基、塞浦路斯、安提阿；他們不對別人傳講，只對猶太人傳講。 20 但其中有些塞浦路斯人和古利奈人，來到安提阿，也對希臘人傳講主耶穌。 21 主的手與他們同在，信而歸主的人就多起來。 22 這事傳到耶路撒冷教會的耳中，他們就派巴拿巴到安提阿去。 23 他到了那裡，看見 神所施的恩，就很歡喜，勸勉眾人堅心靠主。 24 巴拿巴是個好人，滿有聖靈和信心，於是許多人歸了主。 25 後來他到大數去找掃羅， 26 找到了，就帶他來安提阿。足足有一年，他們一同在教會聚集，教導了許多人。門徒稱為基督徒，是從安提阿開始的。
27 那時，有幾位先知從耶路撒冷下到安提阿。 28 其中有一個名叫亞迦布的站起來，藉著聖靈指出天下將要有大饑荒；這事在革老丟時期果然發生了。 29 於是門徒決定按著各人的力量捐款，好送給住在猶太的弟兄。 30 他們就這樣行了，由巴拿巴和掃羅經手送到長老們那裡。
Acts 11
Common English Bible
Jerusalem church questions Peter
11 The apostles and the brothers and sisters throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God’s word. 2 When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him. 3 They accused him, “You went into the home of the uncircumcised and ate with them!”
4 Step-by-step, Peter explained what had happened. 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying when I had a visionary experience. In my vision, I saw something like a large linen sheet being lowered from heaven by its four corners. It came all the way down to me. 6 As I stared at it, wondering what it was, I saw four-legged animals—including wild beasts—as well as reptiles and wild birds.[a] 7 I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!’ 8 I responded, ‘Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 The voice from heaven spoke a second time, ‘Never consider unclean what God has made pure.’ 10 This happened three times, then everything was pulled back into heaven. 11 At that moment three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them even though they were Gentiles. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered that man’s house. 13 He reported to us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is known as Peter. 14 He will tell you how you and your entire household can be saved.’ 15 When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as the Spirit fell on us in the beginning. 16 I remembered the Lord’s words: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, then who am I? Could I stand in God’s way?”
18 Once the apostles and other believers heard this, they calmed down. They praised God and concluded, “So then God has enabled Gentiles to change their hearts and lives so that they might have new life.”
The Antioch church
19 Now those who were scattered as a result of the trouble that occurred because of Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They proclaimed the word only to Jews. 20 Among them were some people from Cyprus and Cyrene. They entered Antioch and began to proclaim the good news about the Lord Jesus also to Gentiles. 21 The Lord’s power was with them, and a large number came to believe and turned to the Lord.
22 When the church in Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw evidence of God’s grace, he was overjoyed and encouraged everyone to remain fully committed to the Lord. 24 Barnabas responded in this way because he was a good man, whom the Holy Spirit had endowed with exceptional faith. A considerable number of people were added to the Lord. 25 Barnabas went to Tarsus in search of Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him to Antioch. They were there for a whole year, meeting with the church and teaching large numbers of people. It was in Antioch where the disciples were first labeled “Christians.”
27 About that time, some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, Agabus, stood up and, inspired by the Spirit, predicted that a severe famine would overtake the entire Roman world. (This occurred during Claudius’ rule.) 29 The disciples decided they would send support to the brothers and sisters in Judea, with everyone contributing to this ministry according to each person’s abundance. 30 They sent Barnabas and Saul to take this gift to the elders.
Footnotes
- Acts 11:6 Or birds in the sky
Acts 11
Expanded Bible
Peter Returns to Jerusalem
11 The apostles and the ·believers [L brothers] in Judea heard that some Gentiles had accepted ·God’s teaching [L the word of God] too. 2 But when Peter ·came [went up] to Jerusalem, ·some people [L the circumcised; C Jewish Christians who believed that they should continue to obey certain Jewish regulations] ·argued with [criticized] him. 3 They said, “You went into the homes of people who are not circumcised and ate with them!”
4 So Peter ·started from the beginning [or began speaking] and explained ·the whole story [it in order/step by step] to them. 5 He said, “I was in the city of Joppa [9:36], and as I was praying, I had a vision while in a trance [10:10]. I saw ·something [L an object] that looked like a big sheet being lowered from heaven by its four corners. It came very close to me. 6 I looked [intently] inside it and saw ·animals [L four-footed creatures], wild beasts, reptiles, and birds [L of the sky/air]. 7 I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘·No [Absolutely not], Lord! I have never eaten anything that is unholy [profane; common] or ·unclean [ritually defiled; 10:14].’ 9 But the voice from heaven spoke again, ‘God has made these things clean, so don’t call them ·unholy [profane; common].’ 10 This happened three times. Then the whole thing was ·taken back [or pulled up] to heaven. 11 Right then [L look; T behold] three men who were sent to me from Caesarea came to the house where I was staying [10:17–19]. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them without ·doubting [or hesitation]. These six ·believers [L brothers] here also ·went with [accompanied] me, and we entered the house of ·Cornelius [L the man]. 13 He told us about the angel he saw standing in his house. The angel said to him, ‘Send some men to Joppa and ·invite [summon; send for] Simon [L who is also called] Peter to come. 14 By the ·words [message] he will say to you, you and all your ·family [or household] will be saved.’ 15 When I began ·my speech [L to speak], the Holy Spirit ·came [L fell] on them just as he came on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the words of the Lord. He said, ‘John baptized ·with [or in] water, but you will be baptized ·with [or in; or by] the Holy Spirit [1:5; Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16].’ 17 [L Therefore] Since God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I ·stop [prevent; hinder] the work of God?”
18 When ·the believers [L they] heard this, they ·stopped arguing [ceased their objections; remained silent]. They ·praised [glorified] God and said, “So God ·is allowing [has given] even ·other nations [the Gentiles] ·to turn to him and live [L repentance (leading) to life].”
The Good News Comes to Antioch
19 Many of the believers were scattered when they were persecuted after Stephen was killed. Some of them went as far as Phoenicia [C northwest of Israel on the coast], Cyprus [C an island to the west of the coast of Syria], and Antioch [C an important city in Syria] telling the message to others, but only to Jews. 20 Some of these believers were people from Cyprus and Cyrene [C a city in North Africa]. When they came to Antioch, they spoke also to ·Greeks[a] [or Hellenists (see textual note); C in 6:1 and 9:29 the word refers to Greek-speaking Jews; here it refers to Greek-speaking Gentiles], telling them the ·Good News [Gospel] about the Lord Jesus. 21 ·The Lord was helping the believers [L The hand of the Lord was with them], and a large group of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 The church in Jerusalem heard about all of this, so they sent Barnabas [4:36; 9:26–27] to Antioch.
25 Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus [C Paul’s hometown in Cilicia; 9:11] to look for Saul, 26 and when he found Saul, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year Saul and Barnabas met with the church and taught many people there. In Antioch the ·followers [disciples] were called Christians for the first time [C highlighting that they were followers of Christ, and perhaps that they were no longer viewed as merely a sect within Judaism].
27 ·About that time [L In those days] some prophets came [L down] from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus [21:10], stood up and spoke ·with the help of [by the power of; through] the Holy Spirit. He said, “A severe famine is coming to the whole ·world [or inhabited world; C probably meaning the Roman empire].” (This happened when Claudius [C Roman emperor from ad 41–54] ruled.) 29 The ·followers [disciples] all decided to ·help [send relief to; L send (something) as a ministry for] the ·believers [brothers] who lived in Judea, as much as each one could. 30 They ·gathered the money [L did this] and ·gave it to Barnabas and Saul, who brought it to the elders in Judea [L sent it to the elders through the hand of Barnabas and Saul].
Footnotes
- Acts 11:20 Greeks Some Greek copies read “Hellenists,” non-Greeks who spoke Greek.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.