the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Acts 11
1 Now the apostles and the brothers that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those that were of the circumcision contended with him,3 saying, You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them.4 But Peter began, and expounded [the matter] to them in order, saying,5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:6 on which when I had fastened my eyes, I considered, and saw the four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and 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 has ever entered into my mouth.9 But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God has cleansed, don't make common.10 And this was done thrice: and all were drawn up again into heaven.11 And look, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, having been sent from Caesarea to me.12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brothers also accompanied me; and we entered into the man's house:13 and he told 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 to you words, whereby you shall be saved, you and all your 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 in water; but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.17 If then God gave to them the like gift as [he did] also to us, when we 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 Gentiles also has God granted repentance to life.
19 They therefore that were scattered abroad on the tribulation that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews.20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Grecian Jews also, preaching the Lord Jesus.21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned to the Lord.22 And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas to go as far as Antioch:23 who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord:24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and many people were added to the Lord.25 And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul;26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught many people, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
27 Now in these days there came down prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch.28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius.29 And the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send help to the brothers that dwelt in Judea:30 which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Updated Bible Version
Scripture quotations are from the UPDV® Updated Bible Version 1.9, Copyright © 2003-4 by Updated Publishers. Used by permission. All Rights Reserved.