Acts 11

1 The apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] and brothers [fellow Christians, male siblings] throughout Judea [a region in southern Palestine] soon heard [received and understood the news] that the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] also had received [accepted, welcomed] the word [Logos, divine message] of God [the one true deity]. word study 2 So when Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] went up [ascended, traveled to a higher location] to Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, a holy city], the circumcised [having received the Jewish rite of cutting, belonging to the covenant] believers [those who have faith, trust in God] took issue [contended, argued, had a dispute] with him [Peter, the apostle] word study 3 and said, “You visited [went in to, entered the homes of] uncircumcised men [adult males, husbands] and ate with them [shared a meal, had fellowship].” word study 4 But Peter [the rock, Jesus’ apostle] began [to rule, commence] and explained [to expound, clearly show] to them the whole sequence [in order, one after another] of events [all that had happened, from the beginning]: word study 5 “I [the speaker] was in the city [a town with walls] of Joppa [a place in Palestine] praying [to worship and ask God], and in a trance [a state of amazement] I saw [eidon, to perceive] a vision [orasi, a supernatural sight] of something like [similar to] a large [great] sheet [a linen cloth] being let down [lowered] from heaven [the sky and God’s home] by its four [the number four] corners [beginnings or edges], and it came [to come or go] right down [until] to me [emou, the speaker]. word study 6 I looked at it closely [with focused attention, gazing intently] and saw four-footed animals [beasts, quadrupeds] of the earth [the ground, soil], wild beasts [dangerous animals, savage creatures], reptiles [creeping things, small animals], and birds [fowls, flying creatures] of the air [the sky, heaven]. word study 7 Then [at that moment, next] I heard [perceived, understood] a voice [sound, noise] saying [speaking, commanding] to me, ‘Get up [arise, stand], Peter [the rock, a disciple], kill [slay, sacrifice] and eat [consume, partake].’ word study 8 ‘No, Lord [God, Master],’ I said, ‘for nothing [absolutely nothing] impure [unclean] or unclean [common] has ever [at any time] entered my mouth [the symbol of speech and communication].’ word study 9 But the voice [a sound from heaven, a divine utterance] spoke from heaven [the sky, God’s dwelling place] a second time [again, for the second occasion], ‘Do not call [declare, consider] anything impure [unclean, common] that God [the Almighty, Creator] has made clean [purified, cleansed, set apart].’ word study 10 This [specific event, tueto] happened [occurred, took place] three times [thrice, on three occasions], and everything [all, without exception] was drawn [pulled, lifted] back up [again, once more] into [toward, unto] heaven [the sky, God’s dwelling place]. word study 11 Just then [at that exact moment, immediately] three men [adult males, messengers] sent [dispatched, appointed] to me from Caesarea [a city in Palestine, the Roman capital] stopped [stood, came to a halt] at the house [dwelling, residence] where I was staying [remaining, lodging]. word study 12 The Spirit [the divine Presence] told me to accompany them without [any] hesitation [doubt or judgment]. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered [went into] the man’s [adult male] home [house or dwelling]. word study 13 He told us how he had seen an angel [a heavenly messenger] standing in his house [home, dwelling place] and saying, ‘Send [dispatch, summon] to Joppa [a city in Palestine] for Simon [a Greek name, meaning ‘hearing’] who is called [named, known as] Peter [a rock, stone]. word study 14 He will convey [speak, utter words] to you a message [declaration, words of salvation] by which [through faith, by trusting] you [as an individual, personally] and all [every member, the entire household] your household [family, those under your care] will be saved [rescued, delivered from sin, brought to spiritual safety].’ word study 15 As I began [to rule or commence speaking] to speak, the Holy [set apart, dedicated to God] Spirit [the vital principle or mental disposition of a person] fell [to press upon or come down] upon them, just as [exactly like, in the same manner] He had fallen [come down or been poured out] upon us at the [start or origin of our experience] beginning. word study 16 Then [at that moment, afterwards] I remembered [recalled to mind, brought to remembrance] the word [declaration, utterance] of the Lord [God, Master], as He used to say [speak, teach], ‘John [the Baptist, the forerunner] baptized [immersed, washed] with water [literal or figurative], but you will be baptized [immersed, filled] with the Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit [breath, divine presence].’ word study 17 So if [under these circumstances, in this case] God [the Supreme Being, Creator] gave them [the Gentiles, non-Jews] the same gift [equal in kind and amount, the same spiritual blessing] He gave us [believers, followers of Christ] who believed [trusted, had faith] in the Lord [Master, Savior] Jesus Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], who was I [a mere apostle, a humble servant] to hinder [prevent, obstruct] the work [plan, purpose] of God [the Almighty, Divine One]?” word study 18 When they heard [and understood, with spiritual perception] this, their objections [arguments, criticisms] were put to rest [silenced, stilled], and they glorified [praised, honored] God [the one true deity], saying, “So then [therefore, as a result], God [the Almighty] has granted [given, bestowed] even the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] repentance [a change of heart, turning from sin] unto [toward, leading to] life [eternal, spiritual existence].” word study 19 Meanwhile those scattered [by the oppression, because of the tribulation] by the persecution [pressure, affliction] that began with Stephen [a Christian martyr, a faithful witness] traveled as far as Phoenicia [a region in Palestine], Cyprus [an island], and Antioch [a city in Syria], speaking the message [the word, preaching] only to Jews [Jewish people, those of Judah]. word study 20 But some of them, men [from various regions] from Cyprus [an island in the Mediterranean] and Cyrene [a region in Africa], went to Antioch [a city in Syria] and began speaking [preaching, proclaiming] to the Greeks [Hellenists, non-Jewish people] as well, proclaiming [sharing, announcing] the good news [gospel, message of salvation] about the Lord [Master] Jesus [God’s salvation]. word study 21 The hand [power, instrument] of the Lord [God, Master] was with [accompanied, among] them, and a great [large, numerous] number [quantity, amount] of people believed [trusted, had faith] and turned [reverted, converted] to the Lord [God, Savior]. word study 22 When news [tidings, report] of this reached the ears [physical and spiritual hearing] of the church [assembly, community of believers] in Jerusalem [the holy city, Hierosolyma], they sent [dispatched, commissioned] Barnabas [son of prophecy, encourager] to Antioch [the city in Syria, a center of early Christianity]. word study 23 When he arrived [came to the place, appeared publicly] and saw [perceived, attended to] the grace [divine influence, graciousness] of God [the one true deity], he rejoiced [felt happy and glad] and encouraged [pled with, comforted] them all [every single one] to abide [remain, persist] in the Lord [the supreme Master, Jesus] with all [their entire being] their hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions]. word study 24 Barnabas was a [morally upright, righteous] good man, full [completely filled, overflowing] of the Holy [set apart, divine] Spirit and [unwavering trust, confidence] faith, and a great [large, multitude] number of people were brought [added, joined] to the [supreme authority, Master] Lord. word study 25 Then [at that time, next] Barnabas [son of prophecy, a leader in the church] went [departed, set out] to [toward, into] Tarsus [a city in Asia Minor, his hometown] to [for the purpose of, in order to] look for [search, seek out] Saul [the Apostle Paul, formerly known as Saul], word study 26 and when he found [discovered, came across] him, he brought [led, guided] him back to Antioch [a city in Syria, an important location]. So for a full [whole, complete] year they met [assembled, gathered] together with the church [assembly, community of believers] and taught [instructed, guided] large numbers [crowds, multitudes] of people. The disciples [learners, followers] were first [initially, at the beginning] called [named, identified as] Christians [followers of Christ, believers] at Antioch [in this city, as a center of faith]. word study 27 In [those specific, particular] those days [a period of time, a season] some [certain, specific] prophets [messengers of God, having the power to tell God’s messages] came down [descended, went down from a higher place] from [away from, out of] Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, the city of peace] to [toward, into] Antioch [a city in Syria, an important location]. word study 28 One of them named Agabus [a prophet, inspired by God] stood up and predicted [signified, indicated] through the Spirit [the divine breath, God’s presence] that a great [intense, severe] famine [hunger, lack of food] would sweep across the whole [entire, all-encompassing] world [the inhabited earth, the land]. (This happened [came to pass, occurred] under [during the reign of] Claudius [the Roman emperor, Caesar].) word study 29 So the disciples [followers of Christ], each according to his ability [prospering, having sufficient resources], decided [determined, purposed] to send relief [help, ministration] to the brothers [fellow Christians, brethren] living in Judea [the region of southern Palestine]. word study 30 This they did [which they also accomplished], sending their gifts [a financial contribution, an act of charity] to the elders [respected leaders, spiritual guides] with [through the agency of, accompanied by] Barnabas [son of encouragement, a helper] and [together with, in association with] Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul, before his conversion]. word study