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Acts 11
1Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received of God.
2When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him,
3saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
4But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying,
5“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.
6When 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.
7I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’
8But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’
9But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’
10This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
11Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me.
12The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house.
13He 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,
14who will speak to you words by which you will be , you and all your house.’
15As I began to speak, the fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.
16I remembered of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the .’
17If then God gave to them the same gift as us when we in the Lord Jesus , who was I, that I could withstand God?”
18When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles to life!”
19They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking to no one except to Jews only.
20But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.
21The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number and turned to the Lord.
22The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,
23who, when he had come, and had seen the of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.
24For he was a good man, and full of the and of , and many people were added to the Lord.
25Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.
26When 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.
27Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28One 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.
29As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;
30which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
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Questions this passage answers
Who is God?
God is the one living Creator who made everything and depends on nothing, and Scripture answers this question mainly by telling us his character rather than by defining his substance. When God described himself to Moses he said he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in loving kindness and truth, and yet will by no means clear the guilty. The New Testament adds that this God is finally known in Jesus Christ, who has made him known.
Can the Bible be trusted?
Scripture claims to be true and invites examination rather than avoiding it. It says God's word is truth and that it stands when everything else fades, and the New Testament writers appeal to eyewitnesses, named places and public events rather than to private experience. Trust in Scripture is finally trust in the God who speaks in it, and the clearest reason a Christian gives for that trust is that Jesus treated these writings as God's own word.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Scripture speaks of the Holy Spirit as a person rather than a force. Jesus calls him another Counselor whom the Father sends, and says he teaches, reminds, guides, convicts and speaks. Peter calls lying to the Holy Spirit lying to God. He is the one who gives new birth, dwells in believers, produces Christlike character, and always points to Christ rather than to himself.
What is repentance in the Bible?
Scripture describes repentance as turning: a change of mind about sin and about God that turns a person away from sin and toward God, and shows itself in what follows. It is more than regret, since Scripture distinguishes godly sorrow that leads to repentance from worldly sorrow that only produces death, and it is God's gift as well as our act.