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1 Now the apostles and the brethren that were in :Judæa heard that the nations also had received the word of :God. 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, that he went in unto men uncircumcised, and had eaten with them. 4 But Peter began, and expounded to them in order, saying: 5 I was in Joppa city praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as if a great sheet let down from :heaven by four corners; and it came even unto me: 6 upon which when I had fixed my eyes, I considered, and saw the four-footed and the wild beasts of the earth and :creeping things and the birds of the heaven. 7 And I heard also a voice saying to me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my :mouth. 9 But a voice answered a second time out of :heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not THOU common. 10 And this was done thrice: and all were drawn up again into the heaven. 11 And lo, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, sent from Cæsarea unto me. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. And these :six brethren also went with me; and we went in into the man’s :house: 13 and he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his :house, and saying, Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 who shall speak unto thee words, whereby THOU shalt be saved, and all thy :house. 15 And as I :began to speak, the Holy :Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but YE shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. 17 If then :God gave them the like gift as also to us, who had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could †withstand :God? 18 And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified :God, saying, Then to the nations also hath :God granted :repentance unto life.
19 Those therefore scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phœnicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews. 20 But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, coming to Antioch, spake unto the Hellenists also, preaching the gospel about the Lord Jesus. 21 And the Lord’s hand was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. 22 And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch: 23 who, when he came and saw the grace :of :God, was glad; and he exhorted all to cleave unto the purpose of their heart in the Lord: 24 because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith: and a large crowd was added to the Lord. 25 And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; 26 and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, both that even for a whole year they were gathered together in the church and taught a large crowd, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
27 Now in these :days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them Agabus by name stood up and signified by the Spirit that a great famine would be over all the inhabited earth: which came to pass in the days of Claudius. 29 And the disciples, every one of them according to his ability, determined to send †relief unto the brethren that dwelt in :Judæa: 30 which also they did, sending it unto the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.