Peter Defends His Actions to the Jerusalem Church

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted1 the word of God.2 11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem,3 the circumcised believers4 took issue with5 him, 11:3 saying, “You went to6 uncircumcised men and shared a meal with7 them.” 11:4 But Peter began and explained it to them point by point,8 saying, 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision,9 an object something like a large sheet descending,10 being let down from heaven11 by its four corners, and it came to me. 11:6 As I stared12 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles,13 and wild birds.14 11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; slaughter15 and eat!’ 11:8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean16 has ever entered my mouth!’ 11:9 But the voice replied a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider17 ritually unclean!’ 11:10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven again. 11:11 At that very moment,18 three men sent to me from Caesarea19 approached20 the house where we were staying.21 11:12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers22 also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 11:13 He informed us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 11:14 who will speak a message23 to you by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 11:15 Then as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on24 them just as he did25 on us at the beginning.26 11:16 And I remembered the word of the Lord,27 as he used to say,28 ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’29 11:17 Therefore if God30 gave them the same gift31 as he also gave us after believing32 in the Lord Jesus Christ,33 who was I to hinder34 God?” 11:18 When they heard this,35 they ceased their objections36 and praised37 God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance38 that leads to life even to the Gentiles.”39