Veritable King James Version
1Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him,
3saying, “You went to uncircumcised people and ate with them.”
4But Peter began and explained it to them in order:
5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me.
6Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air.
7And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’
8But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
9But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’
10This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.”
11“And behold, at that very moment three people arrived at the house in which I was, sent to me from Caesarea.
12And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the person’s house.
13And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter;
14he will declare to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’”
15“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as He did on us at the beginning.
16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17If then God gave the same gift to them as He gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”
18When they heard these things, they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
19Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.
20But some of them, people from Cyprus and Cyrene, when they came to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
21And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
22The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,
24for he was a good person, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
25So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
27Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the inhabited world (this took place in the days of Claudius).
29So the disciples determined, every one according to their ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
30And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Translation notes
The NA28 Greek text uses “ἀδελφοί” in verse 1, translated as “brothers” but considered gender-neutral as “siblings” in context of the Christian community. “Gentiles” renders “ἔθνη,” referring to non-Jews, per the NA28. “Uncircumcised people” in verse 3 translates “ἄνδρας ἀκροβυστίαν ἔχοντας” gender-neutrally, as the Greek emphasizes their status rather than gender. Capitalized “God” follows instructions. The NA28 supports “circumcision party” for “οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς,” echoing the KJV’s term for Jewish believers.
This section recounts Acts 10:9–16, with “something like a great sheet” translating “σκεῦός τι ὡς ὀθόνην μεγάλην,” preserving the KJV’s imagery. Capitalized “Lord” and “God” follow instructions. “Common or unclean” renders “κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον,” reflecting Jewish dietary laws, per the NA28. “From heaven” translates “ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,” maintaining the divine origin of the vision. No gender-neutral adjustments are needed, as the context focuses on Peter’s experience.
“Three people” in verse 11 translates “ἄνδρες τρεῖς” gender-neutrally, referring to Cornelius’s messengers. “Six brothers” in verse 12 renders “ἀδελφοὶ ἕξ,” retained as a term of fellowship, though gender-neutral “siblings” was considered. “Person’s house” in verse 12 for Cornelius translates “ἀνδρός” inclusively, as the Greek allows before naming him. Capitalized “Spirit” follows instructions. The NA28 supports the angel’s message in verse 13, echoing Acts 10:3–6.
“Them” and “us” in verses 15–17 refer to Gentiles and Jewish believers, translated gender-neutrally for “αὐτοῖς” and “ἡμῖν.” Capitalized “Holy Spirit,” “Lord,” “God,” and “Lord Jesus Christ” follow instructions. The quotation in verse 16 recalls Acts 1:5, per the NA28. “Same gift” translates “ἴσην δωρεάν,” echoing the KJV’s emphasis on equal grace. “Stand in God’s way” renders “κωλῦσαι τὸν Θεόν,” preserving the KJV’s rhetorical force.
“They” in verse 18 refers to the circumcision party, translated gender-neutrally for “αὐτοί.” Capitalized “God” follows instructions. “Gentiles” renders “ἔθνεσιν,” consistent with verse 1. “Repentance that leads to life” translates “μετάνοιαν εἰς ζωήν,” modernizing the KJV’s “repentance unto life” while retaining its theological weight, per the NA28.
“Those who were scattered” and “people” in verses 19–20 translate “οἱ διασπαρέντες” and “ἄνδρες” gender-neutrally, referring to believers. “Hellenists” renders “Ἑλληνιστάς,” referring to Greek-speaking Jews or Gentiles, per the NA28. Capitalized “Lord” and “Lord Jesus” follow instructions. “Hand of the Lord” translates “χεὶρ Κυρίου,” preserving the KJV’s imagery of divine guidance. “Turned to the Lord” renders “ἐπέστρεψαν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον,” per the NA28.
“Church” in verse 22 translates “ἐκκλησία” gender-neutrally. “Person” in verse 24 for Barnabas renders “ἀνὴρ” inclusively, as the Greek allows before naming him. Capitalized “God,” “Holy Spirit,” and “Lord” follow instructions. “Remain faithful” translates “προσμένειν τῷ Κυρίῳ,” modernizing the KJV’s “cleave unto the Lord.” “Great many people” renders “ὄχλος ἱκανός,” per the NA28, emphasizing growth.
“Church” and “disciples” in verse 26 translate “ἐκκλησία” and “μαθηταί” gender-neutrally. “Great many people” renders “ὄχλον ἱκανόν,” consistent with verse 24. “Christians” translates “Χριστιανούς,” retaining the historic term, per the NA28 and KJV. No divine pronouns appear in this section, but the narrative aligns with the KJV’s tone in modern English.
“Prophets” and “disciples” in verses 27 and 29 translate “προφῆται” and “μαθηταί” gender-neutrally, as the groups likely include both genders. “Brothers” in verse 29 renders “ἀδελφοί,” retained as a term of fellowship. Capitalized “Spirit” follows instructions. “Great famine” translates “λιμὸν μεγάλην,” per the NA28, with the parenthetical note on Claudius aligning with the KJV’s historical context. “Relief” renders “διακονίαν,” modernizing the KJV’s “relief.”
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