Acts 11
Complete Jewish Bible
11 The emissaries and the brothers throughout Y’hudah heard that the Goyim had received the word of God; 2 but when Kefa went up to Yerushalayim, the members of the Circumcision faction criticized him, 3 saying, “You went into the homes of uncircumcised men and even ate with them!”
4 In reply, Kefa began explaining in detail what had actually happened: 5 “I was in the city of Yafo, praying; and in a trance I had a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came down to me. 6 I looked inside and saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, crawling creatures and wild birds. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Kefa, slaughter and eat!’ 8 I said, ‘No, sir! Absolutely not! Nothing unclean or treif has ever entered my mouth!’ 9 But the voice spoke again from heaven: ‘Stop treating as unclean what God has made clean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled back up into heaven.
11 “At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying; 12 and the Spirit told me to have no misgivings about going back with them. These six brothers also came with me, and we went into the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Yafo and bring back Shim‘on, known as Kefa. 14 He has a message for you which will enable you and your whole household to be saved.’
15 “But I had hardly begun speaking when the Ruach HaKodesh fell on them, just as on us at the beginning! 16 And I remembered that the Lord had said, ‘Yochanan used to immerse people in water, but you will be immersed in the Ruach HaKodesh.’ 17 Therefore, if God gave them the same gift as he gave us after we had come to put our trust in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who was I to stand in God’s way?”
18 On hearing these things, they stopped objecting and began to praise God, saying, “This means that God has enabled the Goyim as well to do t’shuvah and have life!”
19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution which had arisen over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch; they spoke God’s word, but only to Jews. 20 However, some of these, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, when they arrived at Antioch, began speaking to the Greeks too, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Yeshua. 21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people trusted and turned to the Lord.
22 News of this reached the ears of the Messianic community in Yerushalayim, and they sent Bar-Nabba to Antioch. 23 On arriving and seeing for himself the grace of God at work, he was glad; and he encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with their whole hearts; 24 for he was a good man, full of the Ruach HaKodesh and trust.
25 Then Bar-Nabba went off to Tarsus to look for Sha’ul; 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. They met with the congregation there for a whole year and taught a sizeable crowd. Also it was in Antioch that the talmidim for the first time were called “Messianic.”
27 During this time, some prophets came down from Yerushalayim to Antioch; 28 and one of them named Agav stood up and through the Spirit predicted that there was going to be a severe famine throughout the Roman Empire. (It took place while Claudius was Emperor.) 29 So the talmidim decided to provide relief to the brothers living in Y’hudah, each according to his means; 30 and they did it, sending their contribution to the elders in the care of Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul.
Acts 11
New American Standard Bible
Peter Reports in Jerusalem
11 Now the apostles and (A)the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, [a](B)the Jewish believers took issue with him, 3 saying, “(C)You [b]went to [c]uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained at length to them (D)in an orderly sequence, saying, 5 “(E)I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw (F)a vision, an [d]object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came to where I was, 6 and I stared at it and was thinking about it, and I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild animals, the [e]crawling creatures, and the birds of the sky. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; [f]kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing [g]unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘(G)What God has cleansed, no longer [h]consider unholy.’ 10 This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky. 11 And behold, at that moment three men who had been sent to me from (H)Caesarea came up to the house where we were staying. 12 (I)And the Spirit told me to go with them (J)without [i]misgivings. (K)These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he reported to us how he had seen the angel [j]standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send some men to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; 14 and he will speak (L)words to you by which you will be saved, you and (M)all your household.’ 15 And as I began to speak, (N)the Holy Spirit fell upon them just (O)as He did upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘(P)John baptized with water, but you will be baptized [k]with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 Therefore, if (Q)God gave them the same gift as He also gave to us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, (R)who was I that I could [l]stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard this, they [m]quieted down and (S)glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has also granted to the Gentiles the (T)repentance that leads to life.”
The Church in Antioch
19 (U)So then those who were scattered because of the [n]persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way [o]to (V)Phoenicia, (W)Cyprus, and (X)Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. 20 But there were some of them, men of (Y)Cyprus and (Z)Cyrene, who came to (AA)Antioch and began speaking to the [p](AB)Greeks as well, (AC)preaching the good news of the Lord Jesus. 21 And (AD)the hand of the Lord was with them, and (AE)a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The [q]news about them [r]reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent (AF)Barnabas off [s]to (AG)Antioch. 23 Then when he arrived and [t]witnessed (AH)the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with [u]resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, and (AI)full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And [v](AJ)considerable numbers were added to the Lord. 25 And he left for (AK)Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to (AL)Antioch. And for an entire year they [w]met with the church and taught [x]considerable numbers of people; and (AM)the disciples were first called (AN)Christians in (AO)Antioch.
27 Now [y]at this time some (AP)prophets came down from Jerusalem to (AQ)Antioch. 28 One of them, named (AR)Agabus, stood up and [z]indicated [aa]by the Spirit that there would definitely be a severe famine (AS)all over the [ab]world. [ac]And this took place in the reign of (AT)Claudius. 29 And to the extent that any of (AU)the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the [ad]relief of (AV)the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 (AW)And they did this, sending it [ae]with (AX)Barnabas and Saul to the (AY)elders.
Footnotes
- Acts 11:2 Lit those from the circumcision
- Acts 11:3 Or entered the house of
- Acts 11:3 I.e., Gentiles
- Acts 11:5 Or vessel
- Acts 11:6 Or reptiles
- Acts 11:7 Or sacrifice
- Acts 11:8 Or profane; lit common
- Acts 11:9 Lit make common
- Acts 11:12 Or making any distinction
- Acts 11:13 Or after he had stood in his house and said
- Acts 11:16 Or in
- Acts 11:17 Lit prevent God
- Acts 11:18 Lit became silent
- Acts 11:19 Lit tribulation
- Acts 11:19 Lit as far as
- Acts 11:20 Lit Hellenists; people who lived by Greek customs and culture
- Acts 11:22 Lit word
- Acts 11:22 Lit was heard in
- Acts 11:22 Lit as far as
- Acts 11:23 Lit saw
- Acts 11:23 Lit purpose of heart
- Acts 11:24 Lit a considerable crowd was
- Acts 11:26 Or were gathered together
- Acts 11:26 Lit a considerable crowd
- Acts 11:27 Lit in these days
- Acts 11:28 I.e., a prophetic communication of some kind
- Acts 11:28 Or through
- Acts 11:28 Lit inhabited earth
- Acts 11:28 Lit which took place
- Acts 11:29 Lit service
- Acts 11:30 Lit by the hand of
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
