Peter Explains His Actions
1The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
4Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
8“I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
9“The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 10This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.
11“Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’
15“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with11:16 Or in water, but you will be baptized with11:16 Or in the Holy Spirit.’ 17So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
18When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
The Church in Antioch
19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
27During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Petro Aeleza Alivyotumwa Kwa Watu Wa Mataifa
111:1 Mdo 1:16; Ebr 4:12Mitume na ndugu walioamini waliokuwa huko Uyahudi wakasikia kuwa watu wa Mataifa nao wamepokea neno la Mungu. 211:2 Mdo 10:45; Gal 2:12Hivyo Petro alipopanda Yerusalemu, wale wa tohara waliokuwa wameamini wakamshutumu, 311:3 Mdo 10:25-28; Gal 2:12wakisema, “Ulikwenda kwa watu wasiotahiriwa na kula pamoja nao.”
411:4 Lk 1:3Ndipo Petro akaanza kuwaeleza kuhusu mambo yote yalivyotokea hatua kwa hatua akisema, 511:5 Mdo 10:9-32; 9:10“Nilikuwa katika mji wa Yafa nikiomba, nami nikapitiwa na usingizi wa ghafula, nikaona maono. Kulikuwa na kitu kama nguo kubwa ikishuka kutoka mbinguni, ikishushwa kwa ncha zake nne, nayo ikanikaribia. 6Nilipoangalia ndani yake kwa karibu niliona wanyama wenye miguu minne wa nchini, wanyama wa mwitu, watambaao na ndege wa angani. 7Ndipo nikasikia sauti ikiniambia, ‘Petro, ondoka uchinje na ule.’
8“Nikajibu, ‘La hasha Bwana! Kitu chochote kilicho najisi hakijaingia kinywani mwangu.’
911:9 Mdo 10:15“Sauti ikasema kutoka mbinguni mara ya pili, ‘Usikiite najisi kitu chochote Mungu alichokitakasa.’ 10Jambo hili lilitokea mara tatu, ndipo kile kitu kikavutwa tena mbinguni.
11“Wakati ule ule watu watatu, waliokuwa wametumwa kutoka Kaisaria waliwasili katika nyumba niliyokuwa nikikaa. 1211:12 Mdo 8:29; 15:9; Rum 3:22; Mdo 1:16; Yn 16:13Roho Mtakatifu akaniambia niende nao bila kuwa na ubaguzi kati yao na sisi. Hawa ndugu sita pia walifuatana nami, nasi tukaingia nyumbani mwa huyo Kornelio. 1311:13 Mdo 5:19; 10:30Akatuambia jinsi alivyoona malaika aliyekuwa amesimama katika nyumba yake na kusema, ‘Tuma watu waende Yafa wakamlete Simoni aitwaye Petro. 1411:14 Yn 4:53; 1Kor 1:11-16Yeye atakupa ujumbe ambao kwa huo wewe na wa nyumbani mwako wote mtaokoka.’
1511:15 Mdo 10:44; 2:4“Nami nilipoanza kusema, Roho Mtakatifu akashuka juu yao kama vile alivyotushukia sisi hapo mwanzo. 1611:16 Mk 1:8; Mdo 1:5Nami nikakumbuka neno la Bwana alivyosema, ‘Yohana alibatiza kwa maji, lakini ninyi mtabatizwa katika Roho Mtakatifu.’ 1711:17 Mdo 10:45-47Basi ikiwa Mungu aliwapa hawa watu kipawa kile kile alichotupa sisi tuliomwamini Bwana Yesu Kristo, mimi ni nani hata nifikirie kuwa ningeweza kumpinga Mungu?”
1811:18 Rum 10:12-13; 2Kor 7:10Waliposikia haya hawakuwa na la kupinga zaidi. Nao wakamwadhimisha Mungu wakisema, “Basi, Mungu amewapa hata watu wa Mataifa toba iletayo uzima wa milele.”
Kanisa La Antiokia
1911:19 Mdo 8:1-4; 14:26; Gal 2:11Basi wale waliotawanyika kwa ajili ya mateso yaliyotokana na kifo cha Stefano, wakasafiri hadi Foinike na Kipro na Antiokia. Nao hawakuhubiri lile Neno kwa mtu yeyote isipokuwa Wayahudi. 2011:20 Mdo 4:36; Mt 27:32; Mdo 4:36; Mt 27:32Lakini baadhi yao walikuwepo watu wa Kipro na Kirene, ambao walipokuja Antiokia walinena na Wayunani pia wakiwahubiria habari njema za Bwana Yesu. 2111:21 Lk 1:66; Mdo 2:41-47Mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa pamoja nao, nayo idadi kubwa ya watu wakaamini na kumgeukia Bwana.
2211:22 Mdo 4:36Habari hizi zilipofika masikioni mwa kanisa huko Yerusalemu, wakamtuma Barnaba aende Antiokia. 2311:23 Mdo 15:40; 20:24; 14:22Alipofika na kuona madhihirisho ya neema ya Mungu, akafurahi na kuwatia moyo waendelee kuwa waaminifu kwa Bwana kwa mioyo yao yote. 2411:24 Mdo 2:41; 5:14Barnaba alikuwa mtu mwema, aliyejaa Roho Mtakatifu, mwenye imani, nayo idadi kubwa ya watu wakaongezeka kwa Bwana.
2511:25 Mdo 9:11Kisha Barnaba akaenda Tarso kumtafuta Sauli, 2611:26 Mdo 6:1-2; 9:19-26; 26:28; 1Pet 4:16naye alipompata akamleta Antiokia. Hivyo kwa mwaka mzima Barnaba na Sauli wakakutana na kanisa na kufundisha idadi kubwa ya watu. Ilikuwa ni katika kanisa la Antiokia kwa mara ya kwanza wanafunzi waliitwa Wakristo.
2711:27 1Kor 11:4; Efe 4:11Wakati huo manabii walishuka toka Yerusalemu hadi Antiokia. 2811:28 Mdo 21:10; Mt 24:14; Mdo 18:2Mmoja wao, jina lake Agabo, akasimama akatabiri kwa uweza wa Roho Mtakatifu kwamba njaa kubwa itaenea ulimwengu mzima. Njaa hiyo ilitokea wakati wa utawala wa Klaudio. 2911:29 Rum 15:26; 2Kor 8:1-4; Mdo 1:16Mitume wakaamua kwamba kila mtu, kulingana na uwezo alio nao, atoe msaada kwa ajili ya ndugu wanaoishi Uyahudi. 3011:30 Mdo 14:23; 15:2; 22; 20:17; 1Tim 5:17; Tit 1:5; Yak 5:14; 1Pet 5:1; Mdo 4:36; 12:25Wakafanya hivyo, misaada yao ikapelekwa kwa wazee kwa mikono ya Barnaba na Sauli.
