1 Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him,
3 saying, »You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.«
4 But Peter began and explained to them in order:
5 »I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, something descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came down to me.
6 And when I looked into it I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.
7 Then I heard a voice saying to me, Get up, Peter. Kill and eat!
8 But I said, No, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.
9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, What God has cleansed you must not call common.
10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.
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 with no hesitation. These six brethren also went with me, and we entered the man's house.
13 And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is also called Peter;
14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.
15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.
16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could oppose God?«
18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, »So then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance unto life.«
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.
20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts;
24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul;
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year they met with the church and taught great numbers of people; and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
27 Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 One of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.
29 And the disciples determined, each according to his ability, to send relief for the brethren living in Judea.
30 And this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.