Book of Common Prayer

³² While Peter was travelling through all the towns, he came to visit God's people who lived in the city of Lydda.

³³ There he saw a man named Aeneas who was sick. He could not stand up. He had been on his bed for eight years.

³⁴ Peter said to him, `Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!' The man got up at once.

³⁵ All the people who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ In the city of Joppa there was a disciple. Her name was Tabitha. That means Dorcas or Gazelle. She did much good work and she gave many things to the poor people.

³⁷ She became sick and died. They bathed her body and put her in a room upstairs.

³⁸ Lydda was near Joppa. When the disciples heard that Peter was at Lydda, they sent two men and asked for him to come quickly.

³⁹ Peter got up and went with them. When he got there, they took him to the room upstairs. Women whose husbands were dead stood there crying. They showed Peter the clothes and coats that Dorcas had made for them while she was with them.

⁴⁰ Peter put them all out. He kneeled down and talked to God. He turned to the body and said, `Tabitha, get up.' She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up.

⁴¹ He took her hand and helped her get up. Then he called in God's people and the women, and he gave her back to them alive.

⁴² All over Joppa people heard about this. Many people believed on the Lord.

⁴³ Peter stayed in Joppa for many days. He was with a man named Simon, who made skins into leather.

⁶⁰ Many of his disciples heard it. They said, `This is a hard teaching. Who can listen to it?'

⁶¹ But Jesus knew that his disciples did not like what he said. He asked, `Is this hard for you?

⁶² What would you do if you saw the Son of Man go up to the place where he came from?

⁶³ It is the Spirit that gives life. The flesh does not help. The words I say to you are Spirit and life.

⁶⁴ But even so, some of you do not believe me.' Jesus knew right from the beginning which ones of them would not believe. He knew who was going to give him over to people who hated him.

⁶⁵ Then Jesus said, `That is why I said to you, "No one can come to me unless my Father lets him come." '

⁶⁶ After that, many of the followers of Jesus left him and stopped travelling around with him.

⁶⁷ Jesus said to the twelve disciples, `Will you also leave me?'

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered, `Lord, to whom shall we go? It is you who has told us how we may live for ever.

⁶⁹ We believe now, and we know it is true. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

⁷⁰ Jesus said to them, `Did I not choose you twelve? And one of you is a devil!'

⁷¹ Jesus was talking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Judas was the one who was going to give him over to people who hated him. Judas was one of these twelve disciples.