1. The apostles and the believers in Judea heard that non-Jewish people had accepted God’s teaching too.
2. But when Peter came to Jerusalem, some Jewish believers argued with him.
3. They said, “You went into the homes of people who are not Jews and are not circumcised, and you even ate with them!”
4. So Peter explained the whole story to them.
5. He said, “I was in the city of Joppa. While I was praying, I had a vision. I saw something coming down from heaven. It looked like a big sheet being lowered to the ground by its four corners. It came down close to me,
6. and I looked inside. I saw all kinds of animals, including wild ones, as well as reptiles and birds.
7. I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill anything here and eat it!’
8. “But I said, ‘I can’t do that, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is not pure or fit to be used for food.’
9. “But the voice from heaven answered again, ‘God has made these things pure. Don’t say they are unfit to eat!’
23-24. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. When he went to Antioch and saw how God had blessed the believers there, he was very happy. He encouraged them all, saying, “Always be faithful to the Lord. Serve him with all your heart.” Many more people became followers of the Lord.