[1] Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
[2] So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying,
[3] “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
[4] But 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.
[6] Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air.
[7] And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’
[8] But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
[9] But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’
[10] This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.
[11] And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea.
[12] And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.
[13] And 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;
[14] he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’
[15] As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.
[16] And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
[17] If 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?”
[18] When 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.”
[19] Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.
[20] But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
[21] And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
[22] The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
[23] When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,
[24] for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
[25] So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
[26] and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
[27] Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
[28] And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).
[29] So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
[30] And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.