Acts 11 – NIVUK & CCB

New International Version – UK

Acts 11:1-30

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 criticised 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 baptised with11:16 Or in water, but you will be baptised 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 travelled 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.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

使徒行传 11:1-30

彼得的解释

1使徒和犹太全境的弟兄姊妹都听说外族人接受了上帝的道。 2彼得一回到耶路撒冷,严守割礼的门徒就指责他: 3“你竟然去未受割礼之人的家,还和他们一同吃饭!”

4彼得就把事情的经过一一向他们解释,说: 5“我在约帕城祷告的时候,看见一个异象,有一大块像布的东西四个角吊着从天上降到我面前。 6我定睛一看,里面有牲畜、野兽、爬虫和飞禽。 7接着,我听见有声音对我说,‘彼得,起来,宰了吃!’ 8我说,‘主啊,这可不行!我从未吃过任何污秽不洁之物!’ 9那从天上来的声音又说,‘上帝已经洁净的,你不可再称之为不洁净。’ 10这样一连三次,然后一切都被收回天上去了。 11就在那时候,有三个从凯撒利亚来的人到我住处的门口来找我。 12圣灵吩咐我跟他们同去,不要犹豫。就这样,我和这六位弟兄一同到了哥尼流家。 13他告诉我们天使如何在他家中向他显现,并对他说,‘你派人去约帕,请一位名叫西门·彼得的人来。 14他有话告诉你,能使你和你的全家得救。’

15“我开口讲话时,圣灵降在他们身上,跟当初降在我们身上的情形一模一样。 16我就想起主的话,‘约翰用水施洗,但你们要受圣灵的洗礼。’ 17既然上帝给他们恩赐,就如我们信主耶稣基督时给我们一样,我是谁,怎能拦阻上帝?” 18大家听了便安静下来,转而归荣耀给上帝,说:“如此看来,上帝把悔改得永生的机会也赐给了外族人。”

安提阿的教会

19司提凡殉道后,信徒们因受迫害而四散到各处,远至腓尼基塞浦路斯安提阿,他们只向那里的犹太人传福音。 20不过,有些塞浦路斯古利奈的信徒到了安提阿之后,也向希腊人传讲主耶稣的福音。 21上帝的能力伴随着他们,有许多人信了主。

22耶路撒冷教会的人听到这消息后,就派巴拿巴安提阿23他到达后,看见上帝所赐的恩典,就万分高兴,劝勉他们要全心地忠于主。

24巴拿巴是个被圣灵充满、信心坚定的好人。那时信主的人大大增加。 25他又到大数去找扫罗26找到后,便带他回安提阿。他们在教会待了一年之久,教导了许多人。门徒被称为“基督徒”就是从安提阿开始的。

27当时,有几位先知从耶路撒冷下到安提阿28其中一位名叫亚迦布,他得到圣灵的启示,站起来预言天下将有严重的饥荒。后来,这事果然在克劳狄执政期间发生了。 29门徒决定各尽所能,捐款救济住在犹太境内的弟兄姊妹。 30他们捐完后,委托巴拿巴扫罗将款项送交耶路撒冷教会的长老。