Lockman - Bible questions and answers

		Acts 11:1 Now the apostles and the believers who were throughout Judea heard [with astonishment] that the Gentiles also had received and accepted the word of God [the message concerning salvation through Christ].
		Acts 11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision [certain Jewish believers who followed the Law] took issue with him [for violating Jewish customs],
		Acts 11:3 saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and [even] ate with them!"
		Acts 11:4 But Peter began [at the beginning] and explained [the events] to them step by step, saying,
		Acts 11:5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision of an object coming down from heaven, like a huge sheet being lowered by the four corners; and [it descended until] it came right down to me,
		Acts 11:6 and looking closely at it, I saw all kinds of the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the air [both clean and unclean according to the Law],
		Acts 11:7 and I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.'
		Acts 11:8 "But I said, 'Not at all, Lord; for nothing common (unholy) or [ceremonially] unclean has ever entered my mouth.'
		Acts 11:9 "But the voice from heaven answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, no longer consider common (unholy).'
		Acts 11:10 "This happened three times, and everything was drawn up again into heaven.
		Acts 11:11 "And right then the three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying.
		Acts 11:12 "The Spirit told me to go with them without the slightest hesitation. So these six brothers also went with me and we went to the man's house.
		Acts 11:13 "And Cornelius told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying, 'Send word to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;
		Acts 11:14 he will bring a message to you by which you will be saved [and granted eternal life], you and all your household.'
		Acts 11:15 "When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as He did on us at the beginning [at Pentecost]. [Acts 2:1-4]
		Acts 11:16 "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
		Acts 11:17 "So, if God gave Gentiles the same gift [equally] as He gave us after we accepted and believed and trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ [as Savior], who was I to interfere or stand in God's way?"
		Acts 11:18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified and praised God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance that leads to eternal life [that is, real life after earthly death]."
		Acts 11:19 ¶ So then [since they were unaware of these developments] those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with [the stoning of] Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, without telling the message [of salvation through Christ] to anyone except Jews.
		Acts 11:20 *But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began* speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming [to them] the good news about the Lord Jesus.**
		Acts 11:21 And the hand (the power and presence) of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord [for salvation, accepting and drawing near to Jesus as Messiah and Savior].
		Acts 11:22 The news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
		Acts 11:23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God [that was bestowed on them], he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with an unwavering heart to stay true and devoted to the Lord.
		Acts 11:24 For Barnabas was a good man [privately and publicly--his godly character benefited both himself and others] and he was full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith [in Jesus the Messiah, through whom believers have everlasting life]. And a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
		Acts 11:25 And Barnabas left for Tarsus to search for Saul;
		Acts 11:26 and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. For an entire year they met [with others] in the church and instructed large numbers; and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. [Acts 26:28; 1 Pet 4:16]
		Acts 11:27 ¶ Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
		Acts 11:28 One of them named Agabus stood up and prophesied through the [Holy] Spirit that a severe famine would come on the entire world. And this did happen during the reign of Claudius.
		Acts 11:29 So the disciples decided to send a contribution, each according to his individual ability, to the believers who lived in Judea.
		Acts 11:30 And this they did, sending the contribution to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

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