World English Bible · Under Rome
Acts 11
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Now and the brothers who were in heard that the had also received the word of . When had come up to , those who were of the contended with him, saying, "You went in to men and ate with them!" But began, and explained to them in order, saying, "I was in the city of praying, and in a trance I saw a : a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from by four corners. It came as far as me. When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of . 7I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, , kill and eat!' But I said, 'Not so, , for nothing unholy or has ever entered into my .' But a voice answered me the second time out of , 'What has cleansed, don't you call .' This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into . Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from to me. told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. He told us how he had seen standing in his house and saying to him, 'Send to and get , who is called , who will speak to you words by which you will be , you and all your house.' As I began to speak, fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. I remembered the word of , how he said, ' indeed in water, but you will be in .' If then gave to them the same gift as us when we in , who was I, that I could withstand ?" When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified , saying, "Then has also granted to the to life!" They therefore who were scattered abroad by the that arose about traveled as far as , , and , speaking the word to no one except to only. But there were some of them, men of and Cyrene, who, when they had come to , spoke to the , preaching . The hand of was with them, and a great number and turned to . The report concerning them came to the ears of which was in . They sent out to go as far as , who, when he had come, and had seen the of , was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of they should near to . For he was a good man, and full of and of , and many people were added to . went out to to look for . When he had found him, he brought him to . For a whole year they were gathered together with , and taught many people. were first called Christians in . Now in these days, came down from to . One of them named stood up and indicated by that there should be a great all over the world, which also happened in the days of . As any of had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in ; which they also did, sending it to the by the hands of and .
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.