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[1]Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God.
[2]And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,
[3]saying, You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!
[4]But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:
[5]I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.
[6]When I had fixed my eyes on it and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
[7]And I heard a voice saying to me, Arise, Peter; kill and eat.
[8]But I said, By no means, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has at any time entered into my mouth.
[9]But the voice answered me again from Heaven, What God has cleansed do not consider unclean.
[10]Now this was done three times, and the whole thing was drawn up again into heaven.
[11]At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.
[12]Then the Spirit spoke to me to go with them without hesitating. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.
[13]And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, Send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter,
[14]who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.
[15]And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
[16]Then I remembered the Word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed immersed in water, but you shall be immersed in the Holy Spirit.
[17]If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to prevent God?
[18]When they heard these things they kept silent; and they glorified God, saying, Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life.
[19]Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the Word to no one but the Jews only.
[20]But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.
[21]And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
[22]Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
[23]When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
[24]For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
[25]Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.
[26]And when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
[27]And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.
[28]Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and gave a sign through the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.
[29]Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.
[30]This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
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