Acts 11 Now the sent-forth folks and the brothers (= fellow believers) who were down throughout Judea heard that the ethnic groups of the nations (the non-Jews; Gentiles) also welcomingly received and embraced the Logos of God (or: the Word which is God; the message from God; God's thought, idea and reason).

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Now the sent-forth folks and the brothers (= fellow believers) who were down throughout Judea heard that the ethnic groups of the nations (the non-Jews; Gentiles) also welcomingly received and embraced the Logos of God (or: the Word which is God; the message from God; God's thought, idea and reason). ² So when Peter went up into Jerusalem, the men from among [the] Circumcision [note: i.e., the Jews adhering to the Jewish culture and religion: these may or may not have been a part of the called-out community] continued their evaluation [of propriety] for a complete distinction and separation [between Jews and non-Jews], and so began taking sides against him to make a cleavage, contending and debating the issue with him, ³ [and, speaking about Peter,] were saying that he had gone into [a house] to men still having foreskins and he had eaten with them. [other MSS have this as a direct address: "You entered to men that are uncircumcised, and you ate with them!"] ⁴ At this Peter, in making a beginning, began setting [the matter] out for them consecutively (or: expounding a deliberate and detailed narrative to them, point by point), saying, ⁵ "I myself was in the city of Joppa, continuing in prayer (thinking and speaking towards things being well), and I saw – within an ecstasy (a displaced state of being) – a vision (a sight): some container in the process of descending, like a large, fine linen sheet, being gradually but progressively lowered down from out of the sky (or: atmosphere; heaven) by [its] four corners (extremities; origins; beginnings), and it came right down to me, ⁶ "after gazing intently, stretching [my eyes] into which, I began considering and fixing my mind down [on it], and then saw (or: perceived) the four-footed animals of the land (or: earth), and the little wild animals that are trapped and hunted, also creeping things (insects and reptiles), as well as the flying creatures of the sky (or: heaven; atmosphere). ⁷ "Now I also heard a voice, saying to me, 'Get up (Stand up; Arise), Peter! Slaughter (or: Sacrifice) and eat [something] at once!' ⁸ "But I said, 'Not even one [of those], Sir (or: Lord; Master; or: = Christ or Yahweh?), because common (= what is not set-apart as food for Israelites and is forbidden by the dietary rules of the Law) and unclean (meaning: ceremonially unclean) never entered into my mouth!' ⁹ "Yet a voice forth from a second one (or: = a second time; out of a second [directive]) responded decidedly from out of the heaven (or: atmosphere; sky), 'You are not to continue making, or considering, common [the] things which God cleansed (or: cleanses) and made (or: makes) clean!' ¹⁰ "Now this occurred three times, and then everything was pulled (or: drawn) back up again into the sky (or: atmosphere; heaven). ¹¹ "Furthermore – now consider this! – out of that very [moment], three men, being the ones sent off on the mission from Caesarea to me, stood at the house in which we presently were [other MSS: I presently was]. ¹² "So the Breath-effect (or: Spirit) told me to at once go with them – doubting nothing and making no discrimination nor separating myself in even one thing. Now these six brothers also went together with me, and then we entered into the house of the man. ¹³ "Now he at once reported back to us how he saw the agent (messenger) standing within his house, and then saying, 'Send off into Joppa, then send after Simon, the one now surnamed Peter, ¹⁴ "'who will be speaking to you gush-effects and results of the flow (or: declarations; spoken words) within the midst of which you yourself will be made whole (saved; rescued; healed and returned to your pristine state of being) – as well as all your household!' ¹⁵ "However, within the midst of my starting to continue speaking, the set-apart Breath-effect (or: Holy Spirit) fell upon them – even as also upon us, in the beginning. ¹⁶ "At this I was reminded of the results of the flow and the gush-effects (or: words spoken) by the Lord, as He was repeatedly saying, 'John, indeed (or: for his part), immersed in water, yet you yourselves will be immersed (baptized) within the midst of set-apart Breath-effect (or: in [the] Holy Spirit).' ¹⁷ "Since (or: If), therefore, God gave (or: gives) to them the equal free gift (the gratuity that is equal in quality, measure and rank) as also to us, when (or: in) believing and putting their trust upon the Lord, Jesus Christ (or: [the] Anointed Jesus) – who or what [am] I? Was I able to cut off or hinder God?!" ¹⁸ Now upon hearing these, they were quiet (silent; still), and then they gave glory to, and enhanced the reputation of, God, as a group saying, "Consequently, God also gave (or: gives) to the non-Jews (the ethnic multitudes of the nations) the change of mind (or: change in thinking) [which brings one; or, leads] into Life!" ¹⁹ So then, as to the folks being scattered and dispersed from the pressure, affliction and tribulation being birthed on [the situation regarding] Stephen, they went throughout [the country, or, area] as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, by custom speaking the Logos (the Word; the message) to no one except to Jews only. ²⁰ Yet there were certain folks from among them – adult men from Cyprus and Cyrene – who, upon coming into Antioch, began also speaking to the Greeks [reading with p74, Aleph2, A and D*: = Gentiles, non-Jews, people of the nations; but B, D2, and other MSS read: Hellenists (= Greek-speaking Jews, as well as others of the Greek culture)], continuously bringing and announcing [to them] the Lord Jesus as the news of goodness, ease and well-being. [note: it is not clear from the text whether this happened before, simultaneously with, or after Peter visited Cornelius; further: these folks seemed to be operating on their own, with no "official" sending or commissioning] ²¹ Furthermore, the hand (= the power and activity) of [the] Lord was with them, and a great number who were trusting and believing turned [themselves and their lives, with a focus] upon the Lord. ²² Now the account concerning them was heard in the ears of the called-out community then being in Jerusalem, and those folks sent forth Barnabas, out on an errand, all the way to Antioch, ²³ who, upon coming to be at [their] side and seeing the grace and favor – that which has its source in God, and which has the qualities and characteristics of God, and which in fact is God – at once rejoiced and began calling everyone to his side so that he could assist and encourage them to habitually remain oriented to and focused in the Lord [= Christ and Yahweh] – with (or: by) the plan and purpose of the heart! ²⁴ Because you see, he was a man [that was] good (virtuous; having quality) and [was] full of set-apart Breath-effect (or: [the] Holy Spirit), and faith (trust; conviction; loyalty). And thus, a considerable crowd was set toward (or: added to) the Lord. ²⁵ So he went forth into Tarsus to hunt up (to seek up and down as well as back and forth for; = to make a thorough search for) Saul, ²⁶ then, upon finding [him], he brought (or: led) [him] into Antioch. Now it also came to be (or: happened) for them to be gathered together among (or: within the midst of) the called-out community [there for] a whole year, and to teach a considerable crowd [of people]. Furthermore, [it happened] in Antioch for the first time to employ the useful appellation "Christians (little anointed ones; = Messianics; = associates or followers of the Christ)" [to; for] the disciples (or: students). ²⁷ Now during these days prophets (folks having light ahead of time who spoke this light before folks) came (or: went) down from Jerusalem unto Antioch. ²⁸ And now one from among them, named Agabus, upon rising and taking a stand, through means of the Breath-effect (or: Spirit) began indicating by signs and symbols [that] a great famine is to be progressively impending, [which] is going to birth itself into existence upon the whole inhabited land (= the whole Roman empire) – something which occurred upon [the reign] of Claudius. ²⁹ So they determined a plan (marked off the horizon) [that] each of them, according as any of the disciples prospered and thrived (= could afford), is to send [something] unto a relief service (or: to a dispensing of aid) for the brothers (= fellow members of the called-out community) presently settled permanently (or: dwelling) in Judea, ³⁰ which, also, they did, sending [it] off to the older men (or: elders) through [the] hand (= by the means or personal agency) of Barnabas and Saul.