The Healing of Aeneas

32 Now (A)as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, (B)Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 (C)And all the residents of Lydda and (D)Sharon saw him, and (E)they turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Restored to Life

36 Now there was in (F)Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas.[a] She was full of (G)good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in (H)an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, (I)“Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to (J)the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics[b] and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter (K)put them all outside, and (L)knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body (M)he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and (N)many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days (O)with one Simon, a tanner.

Peter and Cornelius

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of (P)what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man (Q)who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. (R)About the ninth hour of the day[c] (S)he saw clearly in a vision (T)an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms (U)have ascended (V)as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging (W)with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Peter's Vision

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, (X)Peter went up (Y)on the housetop about (Z)the sixth hour[d] to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into (AA)a trance 11 and saw (AB)the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; (AC)for I have never eaten anything that is (AD)common or (AE)unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, (AF)“What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what (AG)the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, (AH)the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering (AI)the vision, (AJ)the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and (AK)accompany them without hesitation,[e] for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and (AL)God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by (AM)a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and (AN)to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and (AO)some of (AP)the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 9:36 The Aramaic name Tabitha and the Greek name Dorcas both mean gazelle
  2. Acts 9:39 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin
  3. Acts 10:3 That is, 3 p.m.
  4. Acts 10:9 That is, noon
  5. Acts 10:20 Or accompany them, making no distinction

Peter Heals Aeneas and Raises Dorcas

32 Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. 35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.

36 There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas[a]). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. 37 About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. 38 But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!”

39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.

42 The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.

Cornelius Calls for Peter

10 In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer[b] named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”

As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.

Peter Visits Cornelius

The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, 10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”

14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.[c]

15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

17 Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. Standing outside the gate, 18 they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there.

19 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.”

21 So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?”

22 They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.” 23 So Peter invited the men to stay for the night. The next day he went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.

Footnotes

  1. 9:36 The names Tabitha in Aramaic and Dorcas in Greek both mean “gazelle.”
  2. 10:1 Greek a centurion; similarly in 10:22.
  3. 10:14 Greek anything common and unclean.