Acts Chapter 11
Showing all 30 verses for Acts Chapter 11.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. "
"News reached the apostles and believers in Judea that people who weren't Jewish had also accepted God's message."
Jesus - notice how news of an outsider being welcomed travels fast, and not everyone will be pleased about it. Don't let fear of gossip or disapproval stop you doing the right thing by someone new.
"And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, "
"When Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers who insisted on circumcision argued with him."
Jesus - be ready to explain your convictions calmly when others challenge you, even people from your own community. Disagreement doesn't have to mean division if you stay honest and open to the conversation.
"Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. "
"They said to him, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.""
Jesus - sharing an ordinary meal can be the most powerful statement of acceptance you can make. Who you're willing to sit and eat with says everything about who you actually consider your equal.
"But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, "
"But Peter explained the whole story to them from the start, laying it out step by step."
Jesus - when you're misunderstood, patient, orderly explanation beats defensiveness every time. Give people the full story and trust it to speak for itself.
"I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: "
""I was in Joppa praying, and I fell into a trance and saw a vision: something like a large sheet was let down from heaven by its four corners, right down to me.""
Jesus - stay open to having your assumptions overturned, even the ones that feel sacred and settled. Real growth often starts with something disruptive enough to stop you in your tracks.
"Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. "
""I stared at it closely and saw four-footed animals, wild beasts, reptiles and birds.""
Jesus - look closely before you judge what's in front of you. Old labels and first impressions can blind you to what's actually there.
"And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. "
""And I heard a voice say to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.'""
Jesus - sometimes I'll ask you to step past a rule you've clung to, not to break your integrity but to reveal a bigger truth underneath it. Growth can feel uncomfortable before it feels right.
"But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. "
""But I said, 'Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'""
Jesus - it's fine to push back honestly, even with me, when something contradicts what you've always believed was right. Honest resistance is better than silent, resentful compliance.
"But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. "
""But the voice from heaven answered me a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'""
Jesus - stop putting people, or yourself, into the "unworthy" category. If I've already called someone worthy of love, your job is to catch up to that, not to argue with it.
"And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. "
""This happened three times, and then it was all pulled back up into heaven.""
Jesus - when I need to get through to you, I'll say it more than once. If a truth keeps returning to you in different forms, it's worth taking seriously rather than brushing it off.
"And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. "
""Right then, three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying.""
Jesus - when I nudge your thinking, expect a real opportunity to act on it to follow close behind. Don't let insight stay theoretical - be ready to move on it when it comes.
"And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house: "
""The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitating. These six believers here came with me too, and we went into the man's house.""
Jesus - when you're doing something that will be questioned, bring others along and be transparent about it. Acting in the open, with witnesses, protects both your integrity and the truth.
"And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; "
""He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, saying to him, 'Send to Joppa for Simon, also called Peter.'""
Jesus - when I'm bringing people together, I'm often working on both sides of the relationship at once, before either of you even realises it. Trust that unlikely connections aren't always coincidence.
"Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. "
""'He will tell you a message through which you and your whole household will be saved.'""
Jesus - what I offer is available to your whole circle - your family, your household, the people connected to you - not some exclusive prize for a select few. Share what frees you with those closest to you.
"And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. "
""As soon as I started speaking, the Holy Spirit came on them, just as it had on us at the start.""
Jesus - watch for the evidence right in front of you rather than clinging to old expectations of how things "should" happen. If the fruit is the same, the root is accepted the same.
"Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. "
""Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.'""
Jesus - I keep my promises, even in ways you don't expect and to people you didn't expect. Watch for how the things I've said come true in front of you, sometimes in surprising company.
"Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? "
""So since God gave them the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God's way?""
Jesus - when the evidence is clear that I'm at work somewhere you didn't expect, don't let pride or tradition make you the obstacle. Get out of the way and let love do what it's doing.
"When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. "
"When they heard this, their objections stopped, and they praised God, saying, "So God has granted even the Gentiles the turnaround that leads to life.""
Jesus - when you're proven wrong by good evidence, let go of the argument gracefully and celebrate the good news rather than nursing your bruised pride. Being wrong about who's included is the best kind of wrong to be.
"Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. "
"Meanwhile, those who had been scattered by the persecution following Stephen's death travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, but told the message only to Jewish people."
Jesus - even the hardest, most painful seasons of your life can end up scattering good into places you never intended to reach. Don't assume disruption is only loss - watch for what it grows into.
"And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the LORD Jesus. "
"But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, came to Antioch and started speaking to Greek-speaking people too, telling them about the Lord Jesus."
Jesus - you don't need a title or permission to share something good with someone outside your usual circle. Some of the most important moments in my story were started by people nobody remembers the names of.
"And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. "
"God's power was with them, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord."
Jesus - when you step out to include someone previously left out, don't be surprised if it produces more good than you expected. Generosity tends to multiply rather than run out.
"Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. "
"News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go and check on Antioch."
Jesus - when something good but unfamiliar is happening, respond with curiosity and support rather than suspicion. Send your best people to encourage growth, not your harshest critics to shut it down.
"Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. "
"When Barnabas arrived and saw evidence of God's grace, he was overjoyed, and he encouraged them all to stay devoted to the Lord with real determination."
Jesus - when you see good growing in someone's life, your job is to celebrate it and help it deepen, not to find fault with how it started. Encouragement builds far more than criticism ever will.
"For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. "
"Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great many people were added to the Lord because of it."
Jesus - who you are on the inside shapes what grows around you on the outside. Cultivate real goodness and faith quietly, and don't be surprised when it produces something bigger than you expected.
"Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: "
"Then Barnabas set off for Tarsus to look for Saul."
Jesus - don't forget the people whose gifts you've seen before, even if they've gone quiet for a while. Sometimes your job is simply to go and find them again when the moment is right.
"And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. "
"When Barnabas found Saul, he brought him back to Antioch. For a whole year, the two of them met with the church there and taught large numbers of people. It was in Antioch that the followers were first called "Christians.""
Jesus - a whole year of steady, patient teaching, not a single dramatic moment, is what actually built this movement. Show up consistently for the people you're investing in - that's where lasting change comes from.
"And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. "
"Around this time, prophets travelled from Jerusalem to Antioch."
Jesus - stay connected to a wider community beyond your own small circle. Wisdom and warning often reach you through people who aren't part of your everyday life.
"And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. "
"One of them, named Agabus, stood up and, speaking under the Spirit's guidance, predicted a severe famine that would affect the whole region - and this did happen during the reign of Emperor Claudius."
Jesus - real warnings should lead to real preparation, not panic. When you see trouble coming for others, the right response is to start planning how to help, not just to worry.
"Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which in Judaea: "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"So the believers decided that each of them, according to what they could afford, would send aid to the fellow believers living in Judea."
Jesus - give according to what you actually have, not according to guilt or comparison with others. Fair generosity looks different for each person, but everyone can take part.
"Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. "
"They did exactly that, sending the gift to the church elders in Judea by way of Barnabas and Saul."
Jesus - follow your good intentions all the way through to delivery. A generous plan only becomes generosity once it actually reaches the person who needs it.