New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God.
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Now the Apostles and the brothers who were in Judaea had news that the word of God had been given to the Gentiles.
2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him,
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And when Peter came to Jerusalem, those who kept the rule of circumcision had an argument with him,
3 saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?"
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Saying, You went to men without circumcision, and took food with them.
4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying,
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But Peter gave them an account of it all in order, saying to them,
5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me.
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I was in the town of Joppa, at prayer: and falling into a deep sleep, I saw in a vision a vessel like a great cloth let down from heaven, and it came down to me:
6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.
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And looking on it with attention I saw in it all sorts of beasts and birds.
7 I also heard a voice saying to me, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat.'
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And a voice came to my ears saying, Come, Peter; take them for food.
8 But I replied, "By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'
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But I said, No, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever come into my mouth.
9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane.'
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But the voice, coming a second time from heaven, said, What God has made clean, do not you make common.
10 This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven.
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And this was done three times, and they were all taken up again into heaven.
11 At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were.
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And at that minute, three men, sent from Caesarea, came to the house where we were.
12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.
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And the Spirit gave me orders to go with them, doubting nothing. And these six brothers came with me; and we went into that man's house:
13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, "Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter;
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And he gave us an account of how he had seen the angel in his house, saying, Send to Joppa, and get Simon, named Peter, to come to you;
14 he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.'
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Who will say words to you through which you and all your family may get salvation.
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning.
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And, while I was talking to them, the Holy Spirit came on them, as on us at first.
16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
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And the words of the Lord came into my mind, how he said, The baptism of John was with water, but you will have baptism with the Holy Spirit.
17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?"
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If then God gave them, when they had faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the same as he gave to us, who was I to go against God?
18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."
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And hearing these things they said nothing more, but gave glory to God, saying, Then to the Gentiles as to us has God given a change of heart, so that they may have life.
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews.
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Then those who had gone away at the time of the trouble about Stephen, went as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus, preaching to the Jews only.
20 But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
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But some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, when they came to Antioch, gave the good news about the Lord Jesus to the Greeks.
21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord.
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And the power of the Lord was with them, and a great number had faith and were turned to the Lord.
22 News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
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And news of them came to the ears of the church at Jerusalem: and they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch:
23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion;
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Who, when he came and saw the grace of God, was glad; and he made clear to them the need of keeping near the Lord with all the strength of their hearts:
24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord.
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For he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and a great number were joined to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
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Then he went on to Tarsus, looking for Saul;
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called "Christians."
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And when he had come across him, he took him to Antioch. And they were with the church there for a year, teaching the people; and the disciples were first given the name of Christians in Antioch.
27 At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
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Now in those days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius.
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And one of them, named Agabus, said publicly through the Spirit that there would be serious need of food all over the earth: which came about in the time of Claudius.
29 The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea;
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And the disciples, everyone as he was able, made a decision to send help to the brothers living in Judaea:
30 this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
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Which they did, sending it to the rulers of the church by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.