Peter’s Report at Jerusalem 1 UDB The apostles and other believers who lived in various towns in the province of Judea heard people say that the Gentiles had also believed the message of God about Jesus. BSB BSB: The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
2 UDB But there were some believers in Jerusalem who wanted all followers of Christ to be circumcised. When Peter returned from Caesarea to Jerusalem, they met with him and criticized him. BSB BSB: So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him
3 UDB They said to him, "Not only was it wrong for you to visit in the homes of uncircumcised men, you even ate with them!" BSB BSB: and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
4 UDB So Peter began to explain exactly what had happened. BSB BSB: But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events:
5 UDB He said, "I was praying by myself in the city of Joppa, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw that something like a large sheet was being lowered from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. BSB BSB: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me.
6 UDB As I was looking intently into it, I saw some tame animals and also some wild animals, reptiles, and wild birds. BSB BSB: I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.
7 UDB Then I heard God commanding me, 'Peter, get up, kill and eat them!' BSB BSB: Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’
8 UDB "But I replied, 'Lord, you surely do not really want me to do that, because I have never eaten anything that our laws say we must not eat!' BSB BSB: ‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
9 UDB "God spoke from heaven to me a second time: 'I am God, so if I have made something acceptable to eat, do not say it is unacceptable.' BSB BSB: But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
10 UDB This same thing happened three times, and then the sheet with all those animals and birds was pulled up into heaven again. BSB BSB: This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.
11 UDB "At that exact moment, three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying. BSB BSB: Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.
12 UDB God's Spirit told me that I should not hesitate to go with them. Six brothers also went with me to Caesarea, and then we went into that man's house. BSB BSB: The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.
14 UDB He will tell you how you and everyone else in your house will be saved.' BSB BSB: He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’
15 UDB As I started to speak, the Holy Spirit suddenly came down on them, just like he had first come on us during the Pentecost festival. BSB BSB: As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.
16 UDB Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized you with water, but God will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.' BSB BSB: Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17 UDB God gave the Gentiles the same Holy Spirit that he had given to us after we had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So I could not possibly tell God that he did wrong when he gave them the Holy Spirit!" BSB BSB: So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”
18 UDB When they had heard what Peter said, they stopped speaking and no longer argued with him. Then they praised God, saying, "God now gives even the Gentiles the ability to turn from their sinful behavior and receive eternal life." BSB BSB: When they heard this, they had no further objections, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
The Church at Antioch 19 UDB After Stephen died, many of the believers left Jerusalem and went to other places because they were suffering there in Jerusalem. Some of them went to Phoenicia, some went to the Island of Cyprus, and others went to Antioch, a city in Syria. In those places they were continually telling people the message about Jesus, but they told only other Jewish people. BSB BSB: Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.
21 UDB The Lord helped those believers to preach effectively, and many people believed their message and put their faith in the Lord. BSB BSB: The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 UDB The group of believers in Jerusalem heard people say that many people in Antioch were believing in Jesus. So the leaders of the believers in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch. BSB BSB: When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 UDB When he got there, he realized that God had acted kindly toward the believers. So he was very happy, and he was encouraging all of the believers to continue to trust completely in the Lord Jesus. BSB BSB: When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.
24 UDB Barnabas was a good man whom the Holy Spirit completely controlled, one who trusted God completely. Because of what Barnabas did, many people there believed in the Lord Jesus. BSB BSB: Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25 UDB Then Barnabas went to Tarsus city in Cilicia to look for Saul. BSB BSB: Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26 UDB After he found him, Barnabas brought him back to Antioch to help teach the believers. So during a whole year Barnabas and Saul met regularly with the church there and taught large numbers of people about Jesus. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. BSB BSB: and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
27 UDB During the time that Barnabas and Saul were at Antioch, some believers who were prophets arrived there from Jerusalem. BSB BSB: In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 UDB One of them, whose name was Agabus, stood up to speak. God's Spirit enabled him to prophesy that there would soon be a famine in many countries. (This famine happened when Claudius was the Roman emperor.) BSB BSB: One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.)
29 UDB When the believers there heard what Agabus said, they decided that they would send money to help the believers who lived in Judea. Each of them decided to give as much money as he was able to give. BSB BSB: So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
30 UDB They sent the money with Barnabas and Saul to the leaders of the believers in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.