The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 11 -

And the apostles and brethren, who were in Judea, heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,

Saying: Why didst thou go in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them?

But Peter began and declared to them the matter in order, saying:

I was in the city of Joppe praying, and I saw in an ecstasy of mind a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners, and it came even unto me.

Into which looking, I considered, and saw fourfooted creatures of the earth, and beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air:

And I heard also a voice saying to me: Arise, Peter; kill and eat.

And I said: Not so, Lord; for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth.

And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common.

And this was done three times: and all were taken up again into heaven.

And behold, immediately there were three men come to the house wherein I was, sent to me from Caesarea.

And the Spirit said to me, that I should go with them, nothing doubting. And these six brethren went with me also: and we entered into the man’s house.

And he told us how he had seen an angel in his house, standing, and saying to him: Send to Joppe, and call hither Simon, who is surnamed Peter,

Who shall speak to thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, and all thy house.

And when I had begun to speak, the Holy Ghost fell upon them, as upon us also in the beginning.

And I remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said: John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

If then God gave them the same grace, as to us also who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; who was I, that could withstand God?

Having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying: God then hath also to the Gentiles given repentance unto life.

The Church at Antioch

Now they who had been dispersed by the persecution that arose on occasion of Stephen, went about as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none, but to the Jews only.

But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were entered into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus.

And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believing, were converted to the Lord.

And the tidings came to the ears of the church that was at Jerusalem, touching these things: and they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

Who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, rejoiced: and he exhorted them all with purpose of heart to continue in the Lord.

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord.

And Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek Saul: whom, when he had found, he brought to Antioch.

And they conversed there in the church a whole year; and they taught a great multitude, so that at Antioch the disciples were first named Christians.

And in these days there came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch:

And one of them named Agabus, rising up, signified by the Spirit, that there should be a great famine over the whole world, which came to pass under Claudius.

And the disciples, every man according to his ability, purposed to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judea:

Which also they did, sending it to the ancients, by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Now the apostles and the brothers(a) who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him,

saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying,

“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.

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.

I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’

But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’

But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’

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

Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me.

The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house.

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,

who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.

I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’

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?”

When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”

The Church at Antioch

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.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists,(b) preaching the Lord Jesus.

The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

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,

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.

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.

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.

Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

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.

As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Footnotes

(a)11:1 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(b)11:20 A Hellenist is someone who keeps Greek customs and culture.