Acts of the Apostles 11

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 The apostles and the brothers in Judaea heard that gentiles too had accepted the word of God,	1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God.
2 and when Peter came up to Jerusalem the circumcised believers protested to him	2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the circumcised believers confronted him,
3 and said, 'So you have been visiting the uncircumcised and eating with them!'	3 saying, "You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them."
4 Peter in reply gave them the details point by point,	4 Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,
5 'One day, when I was in the town of Jaffa,' he began, 'I fell into a trance as I was praying and had avision of something like a big sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners. This sheet came right downbeside me.	5 "I was at prayer in the city of Joppa when in a trance I had a vision, something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me.
6 I looked careful y into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds ofheaven.	6 Looking intently into it, I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky.
7 Then I heard a voice that said to me, "Now, Peter, kill and eat!"	7 I also heard a voice say to me, 'Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.'
8 But I answered, "Certainly not, Lord; nothing profane or unclean has ever crossed my lips."	8 But I said, 'Certainly not, sir, because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'
9 And a second time the voice spoke from heaven, "What God has made clean, you have no right to callprofane."	9 But a second time a voice from heaven answered, 'What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.'
10 This was repeated three times, before the whole of it was drawn up to heaven again.	10 This happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into the sky.
11 'Just at that moment, three men stopped outside the house where we were staying; they had beensent from Caesarea to fetch me,	11 Just then three men appeared at the house where we were, who had been sent to me from Caesarea.
12 and the Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going back with them. The six brothers here camewith me as wel , and we entered the man's house.	12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house.
13 He told us he had seen an angel standing in his house who said, "Send to Jaffa and fetch Simonknown as Peter;	13 He related to us how he had seen (the) angel standing in his house, saying, 'Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,
14 he has a message for you that wil save you and your entire household."	14 who will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.'
15 'I had scarcely begun to speak when the Holy Spirit came down on them in the same way as it cameon us at the beginning,	15 As I began to speak, the holy Spirit fell upon them as it had upon us at the beginning,
16 and I remembered that the Lord had said, "John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with theHoly Spirit."	16 and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, 'John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the holy Spirit.'
17 I realised then that God was giving them the identical gift he gave to us when we believed in the LordJesus Christ; and who was I to stand in God's way?'	17 If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?"
18 This account satisfied them, and they gave glory to God, saying, 'God has clearly granted to thegentiles too the repentance that leads to life.'	18 When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, "God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too."
19 Those who had scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen travel ed as far asPhoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they proclaimed the message only to Jews.	19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but Jews.
20 Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they startedpreaching also to the Greeks, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus to them.	20 There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however, who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
21 The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.	21 The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
22 The news of them came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas out toAntioch.	22 The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas (to go) to Antioch.
23 There he was glad to see for himself that God had given grace, and he urged them all to remainfaithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion;	23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
24 for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people werewon over to the Lord.	24 for he was a good man, filled with the holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
25 Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul,	25 Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26 and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. And it happened that they stayed together in thatchurch a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first cal ed'Christians'.	26 and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
27 While they were there some prophets came down to Antioch from Jerusalem,	27 At that time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch,
28 and one of them whose name was Agabus, seized by the Spirit, stood up and predicted that a severeand universal famine was going to happen. This in fact happened while Claudius was emperor.	28 and one of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine all over the world, and it happened under Claudius.
29 The disciples decided to send relief, each to contribute what he could afford, to the brothers living inJudaea.	29 So the disciples determined that, according to ability, each should send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea.
30 They did this and delivered their contributions to the elders through the agency of Barnabas and Saul.	30 This they did, sending it to the presbyters in care of Barnabas and Saul.