1 Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judæa heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. 4 But Peter began, and expounded [the matter] unto 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 unto me: 6 upon which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the fourfooted beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the heaven. 7 And I heard also a voice saying unto me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth. 9 But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. 10 And this was done thrice: and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, having been sent from Cæsarea unto me. 12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brethren 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 unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy 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 with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. 17 If then God gave unto them the like gift as [he did] also unto 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 hath God granted repentance unto life. 19 They therefore that were scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen travelled 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 were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. 22 And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch: 23 who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord: 24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. 25 And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people; and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 27 Now in these days there came down prophets from Jerusalem unto 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 relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judæa: 30 which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Acts · American Standard Version (1901)
Acts 11 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Agabus
A prophet who foretold a great famine in the days of Claudius and later bound his feet and hands with Paul's belt to predict Paul's arrest at Jerusalem.
Cited in the guide: Acts 11:28; Acts 21:10
Barnabas
A Levite from Cyprus named Joseph and nicknamed Barnabas, 'son of encouragement,' who sold a field for the church, brought Saul to the apostles, and traveled with him as a…
Cited in the guide: Acts 4:36; Acts 9:27; Acts 11:22
Claudius
The emperor in whose reign the great famine predicted by Agabus occurred; he ordered all Jews to leave Rome, which brought Aquila and Priscilla to Corinth.
Cited in the guide: Acts 11:28; Acts 18:2
Places
Antioch (Syrian)
The empire's third-largest city and the first major Gentile church — the launching base for Paul's journeys. (Distinct from Pisidian Antioch.)
Cited in the guide: Acts 11:26; Acts 13:1-3; Galatians 2:11
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 22:27; Malachi 1:11; Romans 15:7–12; Isaiah 32:15; Acts 14:27
- 2 Acts 10:45; Acts 15:1; Galatians 2:12–14; Acts 21:20–23; Acts 10:9
- 3 Acts 10:28; Galatians 2:12; Luke 15:2; Acts 10:23; 1 Corinthians 5:11
- 4 Luke 1:3; Acts 14:27; Joshua 22:21–31; Proverbs 15:1
- 5 Acts 10:9–32; Amos 8:2; Acts 22:17; Amos 7:4–7; Acts 9:10
- 6 Luke 4:20; Acts 3:4
- 8 Romans 14:14; 1 Corinthians 7:14; Hosea 9:3; Leviticus 10:10; Leviticus 11:47
- 9 Acts 15:9; Hebrews 9:13–14; Acts 10:34–35; Acts 10:28; 1 Timothy 4:5
- 10 John 13:38; John 21:17; Numbers 24:10; 2 Corinthians 12:8
- 11 Acts 9:10–12; Exodus 4:27; Exodus 4:14; Acts 10:17–18
- 12 Acts 8:29; Romans 3:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; Acts 10:23; Acts 10:45
- 13 Acts 10:30–32; Acts 10:22; Acts 9:43; Acts 10:3–6; Acts 12:11
- 14 Acts 16:15; Acts 10:22; Acts 16:31–34; Acts 10:2; Genesis 17:7
- 15 Acts 19:6; Acts 10:34–46; Acts 2:2–12; Acts 4:31
- 16 Acts 1:5; Mark 1:8; Proverbs 1:23; Luke 3:16; Matthew 3:11
- 17 Acts 10:47; Romans 9:20–26; Romans 11:34–36; Job 33:13; Acts 15:8–9
- 18 Romans 10:12–13; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Timothy 2:25–26; Acts 20:21
- 19 Acts 15:35; Acts 15:3; Acts 21:2; Acts 4:36; Acts 15:22
- 20 Acts 13:1; Matthew 27:32; Ephesians 3:8; Acts 6:9; Acts 2:10
- 21 Acts 2:47; Luke 1:66; Acts 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; Acts 9:35
- 22 Acts 9:27; Acts 15:22; Acts 8:14; Acts 11:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:6
- 23 1 Corinthians 15:58; Acts 14:22; 1 John 2:28; Acts 13:43; 2 Timothy 3:10
- 24 Acts 5:14; Acts 11:21; Psalm 112:5; Acts 9:31; Acts 6:5
- 25 Acts 9:11; Acts 9:30; Acts 9:27; Acts 21:39
- 26 1 Peter 4:16; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:14; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 12:12
- 27 Acts 13:1; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11; Matthew 23:34; Acts 15:32
- 28 Acts 21:10; Acts 18:2; Luke 2:1; Luke 3:1; 1 Kings 17:1–16
- 29 2 Corinthians 8:12–14; 2 Corinthians 8:2–4; Galatians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 16:1–2; Romans 15:25–27
- 30 Acts 12:25; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 5:17; Acts 15:6; Acts 15:4
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The persecution turned out to be no slight benefit as "to them that love God all things work together for good." (Rom. viii. 28.) If they had made it their express study how best to establish the Church, they would have done no other thing than this--they dispersed the teachers. Mark in what quarters the preaching was extended.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
Then the disciples, every one according to his ability, determined to send relief to the elders for the brethren which dwelt in Judæa, which also they did by the hands of Barnabas and Saul." And in the case of the necessaries presented to him, wherewith the same Apostle Paul when setting sail was laden, food seems to have been furnished …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
And ye, when there is a question of precedence, claim to take place of the whole word, forasmuch as our city first crowned itself with the name of Christian; but in the competition of chastity, ye are not ashamed to be behind the rudest cities.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians after the Lord's ascension, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles: and certain houses were afterwards called by the new names of hospices and monasteries; but the things themselves existed prior to their names, and are confirmed by religious truth, which also forms their defense against …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
For although the disciples of Christ were not yet called by such a name,--because it was after His ascension, in Antioch, first that the disciples began to be called Christians, --yet the thing itself, that afterwards assumed such a name, already existed, those who were afterwards called Christians were already disciples; and this common name, like the common faith, they …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)