1 And the apostles and the brethren who were down from the Judea heard that the nations also received the word of the God. 2 And when Peter went up into Jerusalem, those out of circumcision contended with him, 3 saying that, “You went in to men having no circumcision i and ate with them.” 4 And the Peter beginning explained to them in order saying, 5 “I was in Joppa city praying and I saw in a trance a vision, a certain object coming down like a great sheet four corners bound being let down out of the heaven; and it came to me. 6 Unto which looking intently, I observed and saw the quadrupeds of the earth and the wild beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the heaven. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Arise Peter, kill and eat.' 8 And I said, 'Certainly not, Lord, nothing common ii or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.' 9 And a voice answered me a second time from heaven, 'What the God cleansed, you shall not make common.' 10 And this happened three times, and again all was pulled up into the heaven. 11 And behold, immediately three men stood at the house in which I was, sent from Caesarea to me. 12 And the spirit told me to go with them doubting nothing. And these six brethen also iii went with me, and we went into the house of the man. 13 And he reported to us how he saw a messenger standing in his house and saying to him, 'Send men to Joppa and summon Simon, who is surnamed iv Peter. 14 He will speak words to you by which you will be saved, v you and all your house.' 15 And when I began to speak, the holy spirit fell upon them, just as even vi upon us in the beginning. 16 And I remembered the words of the Lord, as he was saying, 'John indeed immersed in water, but you will be immersed in the holy spirit.' 17 If therefore, the God gave the same gift to them as also to us, to those believing upon the Lord Joshua Christ, so who was I able to forbid vii the God?” 18 And hearing this, they were silent; and glorified the God, saying, “Then indeed the God gave also to the nations the repentance unto life.” viii
19 So then, those who were scattered from the tribulation that happened over Stephen went through as far as Phoenicia ix and Cyprus x and Antioch xi speaking the word to no one except only Jews. 20 And there were some of them, Cyprian and Cyrenian xii men, who going into Antioch, were speaking to the Hellenists, preaching the good news, the Lord Joshua. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number believing turned to the Lord. 22 And the word was heard in the ears of the assembly, those in Jerusalem, about them. And they sent out Barnabus to go through unto Antioch. 23 Whom arriving and seeing the grace of the God, rejoiced, and urged all in purpose of the heart to continue with the Lord. 24 For he was a good man xiii and full of the holy spirit and faith. And a considerable crowd was added to the Lord.
25 And the Barnabas went unto Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And finding, he brought him unto Antioch. And it was, they gathered together with the assembly a whole year and taught a considerable crowd. And the disciples were first in Antioch to be called Christians. xiv 27 And in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28 And one arising out of them named Agabus xv signified through the spirit a great famine was about to be upon the whole world which also happened during Claudius xvi Caesar. 29 And each of them of the disciples, according to each one's ability, determined for service xvii to send to the brethren dwelling in the Judea. 30 Which also they did, sending to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdf.
- ἀκροβυστίαν ἔχοντας (akrobustian echontas) “having no circumcision” - more literally, “having uncircumcision” ^
- κοινὸν (koinon) “common” - same word as e.g. used in Acts 2:44; 4:32 had all things in “common” - same word translated “unclean” (3x) in Romans 14:14; Titus 1:4 “common” faith; Hebrews 10:29 “a common thing”; Revelation 21:27 “defiles.” For “common” elsewhere see e.g. 1 Samuel 21:4-5; Ezekiel 42:20. ^
- καὶ (kai) “also” NAS – NKJV & KJV do not translate this word. ^
- Surnamed by Christ, see John 1:42. ^
- Saved who was saved, see Acts 10:2, 35. Salvation is past, present, and future. See e.g. Romans 5:1-2, 9; Hebrews 7:25. ^
- καὶ (kai) “even” YLT, BLB, ASV, Darby, ERV, WEB - KJV, NKJV, KJV, etc. don't translate. ^
- κωλῦσαι (kôlusai) - “to forbid” - same exact word as in Acts 10:47 “to forbid” water. ^
- This concept (“to the nations repentance unto life”) is not a new concept to Scripture. See Genesis 12:3/Galatians 3:8; Isaiah 56:1-7. ^
- Φοινίκης (Phoinikês) “Phoenicia” - found also in Acts 15:3; 21:2. Located apparently along the northern coast of Israel/southern Lebanon. ^
- Κύπρου (Kuprou) “Cyprus” - found also in Acts 13:4; 15:39; 21:3; 27:4. ^
- Ἀντιοχείας (Antiocheias) “Antioch” - found also in Acts 11:20, 22, 26(2x); 13:1, 14; 14:19, 21, 26; 15:22-23, 30, 35; 18:22; Galatians 2:11; 2 Timothy 3:11. Location is far south and central Turkey near northwest border of Syria. ^
- Κυρηναῖοι (Kurênaioi) “Cyrenian” = a person from Cyrene, Greek city in North Africa, west of Egypt. ^
- Barnabus was an apostle, see Acts 14:14. ^
- Χριστιανούς (Christianous) “Christians” - also found in Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16. ^
- Ἄγαβος (Agabos) “Ababus” - found also in Acts 21:10. ^
- Κλαυδίου (Klaudiou) “Claudius” - found also in Acts 18:2; 23:26. According to history, Claudius lived from 10 BC to 54 AD and ruled from 41 AD to 54 AD. ^
- διακονίαν (diakonian) “service” - same word e.g. for “service” in Acts 6:4. ^
And he became hungry, and desired to taste. And while they prepared, a trance fell upon him.. -- ἔκστασις (ekstasis) “trance” - this word is also found in Mark 5:42 (“amazement”); 16:8 (“amazed”); Luke 5:26 (“amazed”); Acts 3:10 (“amazement”); 11:5 (“trance”); 22:17 (“trance”).
And Peter said, “Certainly not, lord, for never have I eaten anything common or unclean. -- κοινὸν (koinon) “common” - this adjective is found also in Mark 7:2 (“defiled”); Acts 2:44 (all things in “common”); 4:32 (all things in “common”); 10:28 (“common”); 11:8 (“common”); Romans 14:14 (“unclean” 3x); Titus 1:4 (“common” faith); Hebrews 10:29 (“a common things”); Jude 1:3 (“common” salvation); Revelation 21:27 (“defiles”).
And a voice was again from a second time to him, “What the God cleansed, you shall not make common.” -- κοίνου (koinon) “make common” - this verb is also found in Matthew 15:11, 18, 20 (“defile”); Mark 7:15, 18, 20, 23 (“defile”); Acts 11:9 (“call common”); 21:28 (“defiled”); Hebrews 9:13 (“unclean”).
And upon knowing, the brethren brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus. -- Ταρσόν (Tarson) “Tarsus” - found also in Acts 11:25; 22:3.
And in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which being translated says Dorcas. This one was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. -- Ἰόππῃ (Ioppê) “Joppa” - found also in Acts 9:38, 42-43; 10:5, 8, 23, 32; 11:5, 13 – in Hebrew this is ירפו) yâpho) e.g. Joshua 19:46 (LXX Ιόππης [Ioppês]).
And in those days of multiplying of the disciples, there was a complaint of the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being neglected in the daily service. -- Ἑλληνιστῶν (hellênistôn) - “Hellenists” - Greek speaking Jews – also only found in Acts 9:29; 11:20. Ἑλλην (hellên) is a Greek (man), e.g. Acts 16:3; Galatians 2:3; 3:28.
And the word was pleasing before all the multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and holy spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas a proselyte, an Antiochene... -- Ἀντιοχέα (Antiochea) - “Antiochene” = a native of Antioch – only found here. Word for the location Antioch is Ἀντιοχείας (Antiocheias) e.g. Acts 11:19.
And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their country via another way. -- crhmatisyentev (chrêmatisthentes) - “being warned” - KJV adds “of God,” NKJV “divinely,” NAS “by God” (italics), NIV has simply “having been warned.” This word is also found in verse 22 and Luke 2:26 (because the Holy Spirit is explicitely mentioned here, there is no additional “by God” in these translations on this verse); Acts 10:22; 11:26 (“called”); Romans 7:3 (“called”); Hebrews 8:5; 11:7; 12:25 (NKJV “who spoke”).
..how he came into the house of God and ate the loaves of the purpose, which was not lawful for him to eat nor those with him, except only the priests? -- proyesewv (protheseôs) - "purpose" - found also in Acts 11:23; 27:13; Romans 8:28; 9:11; Ephesians 1:11; 3:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; 3:10; All are translated “purpose” in the NKJV except for Acts 27:13 (desire), and in the passages similar to here (Matthew 12:4; Luke 6:4; Hebrews 9:2) as “showbread.” See also footnote for Exodus 25:30.
It's okay for us to eat unclean things.
I have known and have been persuaded in lord Joshua, that nothing is common through itself, except for the one who considers something to be common, that is common. -- κοινὸν (koinon) “common” - see Mark 7:2 & Acts 11:8 and footnotes.
..the one determined to be son of God in power, according to spirit of holiness, by resurrection of the dead, Joshua Christ the lord of us. -- ὁρισθέντος (hoisthentos) “determined”; YLT, Green “marked out”; NKJV, KJV, NAS “declared” - same verb found also in Luke 22:22 (“determined”); Acts 2:23 (“determined”); 10:42 (“ordained”); 11:29 (“determined”); 17:26 (“determined”), 31 (“ordained”); Hebrews 4:7. (“designates”)