New International Version NIV
New Century Version NCV
1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
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The apostles and the believers in Judea heard that some who were not Jewish had accepted God's teaching too.
2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him
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But when Peter came to Jerusalem, some Jewish believers argued with him.
3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
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They said, "You went into the homes of people who are not circumcised and ate with them!"
4 Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story:
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So Peter explained the whole story to them.
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.
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He said, "I was in the city of Joppa, and while I was praying, I had a vision. I saw something that looked like a big sheet being lowered from heaven by its four corners. It came very close to me.
6 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds.
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I looked inside it and saw animals, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds.
7 Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
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I heard a voice say to me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'
8 “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
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But I said, 'No, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is unholy or unclean.'
9 “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
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But the voice from heaven spoke again, 'God has made these things clean, so don't call them unholy.'
10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.
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This happened three times. Then the whole thing was taken back to heaven.
11 “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.
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Right then three men who were sent to me from Caesarea came to the house where I was staying.
12 The 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.
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The Spirit told me to go with them without doubting. These six believers here also went with me, and we entered the house of Cornelius.
13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.
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He told us about the angel he saw standing in his house. The angel said to him, 'Send some men to Joppa and invite Simon Peter to come.
14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’
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By the words he will say to you, you and all your family will be saved.'
15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.
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When I began my speech, the Holy Spirit came on them just as he came on us at the beginning.
16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized withwater, but you will be baptized withthe Holy Spirit.’
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Then I remembered the words of the Lord. He said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
17 So 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?”
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Since God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I stop the work of God?"
18 When 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.”
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When the Jewish believers heard this, they stopped arguing. They praised God and said, "So God is allowing even those who are not Jewish to turn to him and live."
19 Now 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.
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Many of the believers were scattered when they were persecuted after Stephen was killed. Some of them went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch telling the message to others, but only to Jews.
20 Some 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.
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Some of these believers were people from Cyprus and Cyrene. When they came to Antioch, they spoke also to Greeks, telling them the Good News about the Lord Jesus.
21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
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The Lord was helping the believers, and a large group of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
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The church in Jerusalem heard about all of this, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 When 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.
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24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
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Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith. When he reached Antioch and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad. He encouraged all the believers in Antioch always to obey the Lord with all their hearts, and many people became followers of the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
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Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul,
26 and 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.
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and when he found Saul, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year Saul and Barnabas met with the church and taught many people there. In Antioch the followers were called Christians for the first time.
27 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
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About that time some prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 One 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.)
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One of them, named Agabus, stood up and spoke with the help of the Holy Spirit. He said, "A very hard time is coming to the whole world. There will be no food to eat." (This happened when Claudius ruled.)
29 The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea.
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The believers all decided to help the followers who lived in Judea, as much as each one could.
30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
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They gathered the money and gave it to Barnabas and Saul, who brought it to the elders in Judea.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.