^1. NOW the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

^2. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, [1] those who were circumcised took issue with him,

^3. saying, « You [2] went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.»

^4. But Peter began speaking [3] and proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence, saying,

^5. « I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an [5] object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from [4] the sky; and it came right down to me,

^6. and when I had fixed my gaze on it and was observing it [8] I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the [7] crawling creatures and the birds of the [6] air.

^7. «I also heard a voice saying to me, "Get up, Peter; [9] kill and eat.'

^8. «But I said, "By no means, Lord, for nothing [10] unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

^9. «But a voice from heaven answered a second time, " What God has cleansed, no longer [11] consider unholy.'

^10. «This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into [12] the sky.

^11. «And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea.

^12. « The Spirit told me to go with them [13] without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man's house.

^13. «And he reported to us how he had seen the angel [14] standing in his house, and saying, "Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;

^14. and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'

^15. «And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.

^16. «And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, " John baptized with water, but you will be baptized [15] with the Holy Spirit.'

^17. «Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could [16] stand in God's way?»

^18. When they heard this, they [17] quieted down and glorified God, saying, «Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.»

^19. So then those who were scattered because of the [19] persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way [18] to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.

^20. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the [21] Greeks also, [20] preaching the Lord Jesus.

^21. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

^22. The [24] news about them [23] reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off [22] to Antioch.

^23. Then when he arrived and [26] witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with [25] resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;

^24. for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable [28] numbers were [27] brought to the Lord.

^25. And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul;

^26. and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they [30] met with the church and taught considerable [29] numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

^27. Now [31] at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

^28. One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate [34] by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the [33] world. [32] And this took place in the reign of Claudius.

^29. And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the [35] relief of the brethren living in Judea.

^30. And this they did, sending it [36] in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.