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Peter’s Report in Jerusalem

11 Now the apostles and (A)the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, [a](B)those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, “(C)You [b]went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” But Peter began speaking [c]and proceeded to explain to them (D)in orderly sequence, saying, (E)I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw (F)a vision, [d]an object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from heaven, and it came right down to me, and when looking closely at it, I was observing it and saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the [e]sky. And I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise up, Peter; [f]slaughter and eat.’ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing defiled or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘(G)What God has cleansed, no longer consider defiled.’ 10 And this happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven. 11 And behold, immediately three men appeared at the house in which we were, having been sent to me from (H)Caesarea. 12 (I)And the Spirit told me to go with them [g](J)without taking issue at all. (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 [h]standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is also called Peter; 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 [i]with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 Therefore if (Q)God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, (R)who was I that I could prevent God’s way?” 18 And when they heard this, they [j]quieted down and (S)glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the (T)repentance that leads to life.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 11:2 Lit those of the circumcision
  2. Acts 11:3 Or entered the house of
  3. Acts 11:4 Lit and was explaining
  4. Acts 11:5 Or a vessel
  5. Acts 11:6 Or heaven
  6. Acts 11:7 Or sacrifice
  7. Acts 11:12 Or without making any distinction
  8. Acts 11:13 Or after he had stood in his house and said
  9. Acts 11:16 Or in
  10. Acts 11:18 Lit became silent

Jerusalem church questions Peter

11 The apostles and the brothers and sisters throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God’s word. When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him. They accused him, “You went into the home of the uncircumcised and ate with them!”

Step-by-step, Peter explained what had happened. “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. 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] I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!’ I responded, ‘Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 11:6 Or birds in the sky