Acts 11

Peter's Vision Explained Acts 11:5–10

⁵Verse 5. “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me. ⁶Verse 6. When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. ⁷Verse 7. I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’ ⁸Verse 8. But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ ⁹Verse 9. But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’

¹⁰Verse 10. This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.

Acceptance of Gentiles Confirmed Acts 11:11–18

¹¹Verse 11. Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. ¹²Verse 12. The Spirit told me to go with them, without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. ¹³Verse 13. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa, and get Simon, who is called Peter, ¹⁴Verse 14. who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’ ¹⁵Verse 15. As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.

¹⁶Verse 16. I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷Verse 17. If then God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?” ¹⁸Verse 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”

Antioch Church Growth Acts 11:19–24

¹⁹Verse 19. They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. ²⁰Verse 20. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹Verse 21. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. ²²Verse 22. The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,

²³Verse 23. who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord. ²⁴Verse 24. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

Saul Joins Barnabas in Antioch Acts 11:25–26

²⁵Verse 25. Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶Verse 26. When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Prophecy and Relief Efforts Acts 11:27–30

²⁷Verse 27. Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸Verse 28. One of them named Agabus stood up, and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius. ²⁹Verse 29. As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; ³⁰Verse 30. which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.