Chapter
Verse

Acts chapter 11

English Standard Version

1Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3"You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." 4But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5"I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man 's house. 13And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God 's way?" 18When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life."
New International Version

New American Standard Bible

1Now the apostles and the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the Jewish believers took issue with him, 3saying, 'You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.' 4But Peter began and explained at length to them in an orderly sequence, saying, 5I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came to where I was, 6and I stared at it and was thinking about it, and I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild animals, the crawling creatures, and the birds of the sky. 7I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’ 10This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky. 11And behold, at that moment three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea came up to the house where we were staying. 12And the Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send some men to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; 14and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. 16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17Therefore, if God gave them the same gift as He also gave to us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?' 18When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, 'Well then, God has also granted to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.'
Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

King James Version

1And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. 4But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. 12And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: 13And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. 15And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 18When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
New King James Version

4But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 6When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ 9But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ 10Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, 14who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

What does Acts chapter 11 mean?

Acts 11 continues the story of how the good news about Jesus came to the Gentiles and how the work of the apostle Paul begins. It's a difficult transition. Hundreds of years before, the Jewish exiles in Babylon had managed to return with their religion and cultural identity mostly intact. Since that time, their land had seen several foreign rulers, including Antiochus Epiphanes who tried to destroy Judaism and all Jewish culture. He banned observance of their religion and sacrificed unclean animals on their altar. This led to the Maccabean revolt and renewed passion for keeping the Jewish law—especially the parts that included separation from Gentiles.

In Acts 11:1–18, Peter recounts to the church leaders in Jerusalem the events of Acts 10. God led Peter to a Gentile in Caesarea Maritima, a devout God-follower, who was ready to hear the news about salvation through Jesus. Peter had barely gotten started explaining to the man and his houseful of guests about Jesus when the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles. Seeing no other option, Peter had them baptized into the church. The church leaders accept Peter's account and the witnesses of the six men with him. In the next few years (Acts 15:1–35), the church leaders will have to figure out exactly what it means to worship with Gentiles.

Acts 11:19–26 gives the account of even more Gentiles coming to faith. When Saul persecuted the church in Jerusalem, the Jesus-followers fled (Acts 8:1–4). Many of them took the story of Jesus with them. Some Jews from Cyprus, an island south of modern-day Turkey, and Cyrene, in Libya, shared the way of salvation with Gentiles in Syrian Antioch, a major city near the Mediterranean coast where Syria meets Turkey. When the leaders of the church in Jerusalem hear, they send Barnabas to find out more. He realizes that many Gentiles do have faith in Christ—so many he needs help to teach them. Tarsus, where the disciples sent Saul after he'd come to faith and others were seeking to kill him (Acts 9:26–30), is just west of Antioch. Barnabas sends for Saul, and Saul's work among the Gentiles begins.

Acts 11:27–30 seems like an unrelated addition, at first. Agabus, a prophet, travels from Jerusalem to Syrian Antioch and tells the young church there will be a major famine. The church in Antioch determines to support the church in Jerusalem. The story is more relevant than it appears. The chapter largely gives the origin story of Paul's ministry. In many of the churches he traveled to, he exhorted the people to raise funds for the originating church in Jerusalem. Not only did the Jesus-followers in Jerusalem face this famine, the members had already sold what they had (Acts 4:32–37), and the church leaders no longer worked their trades as they once had. This little story tells us why even though Paul worked to support himself if doing so helped spread the gospel (2 Corinthians 11:7–9), he often exhorted the churches to raise money for the church in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25–28; 2 Corinthians 8:1–6).

Acts 11 is the beginning of the transition of attention from the disciples, particularly Peter, to Paul. In Acts 12, James the brother of John is killed: the first of the twelve disciples to be martyred and the only one to have his death recorded in Scripture (Acts 12:1–2). Peter is arrested and an angel frees him (Acts 12:3–19) and Herod Agrippa I dies because he accepts worship appropriate only for God (Acts 12:20–25). From Acts 13 on, Peter is mentioned only once more, reiterating the story of the conversion of the Gentiles in Caesarea Maritima at a hearing requested by Barnabas and Paul (Acts 15:7–11). The rest of the book of Acts records Paul's evangelism to the Gentiles.
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