Book of Common Prayer

Peter explains the reason why he went in to the heathen. Barnabas and Paul preach to the heathen. Agabus prophesies of the famine to come.

11 And the apostles and the brethren that were throughout Judea heard that the heathen had also received the word of God. ² And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, ³ saying, You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!

⁴ Then Peter began and explained the matter in order to them, saying, ⁵ I was in the city of Joppa, praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descend, like a large linen cloth let down from heaven by the four corners; and it came to me. ⁶ When I looked into it, I considered and saw four-footed animals of the earth, and wild beasts and reptiles and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, Arise, Peter; kill and eat. ⁸ And I said, God forbid, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has at any time entered into my mouth. ⁹ But the voice answered me again from heaven: Do not judge common those things that God has cleansed.

¹⁰ And this was done three times, and everything was taken up again into heaven.

¹¹ And behold, immediately three men came to the house where I was, sent from Caesarea to me. ¹² And the Spirit said to me that I should go with them, without doubting. Moreover, the six brethren accompanied me. And we entered into the man’s house. ¹³ And he described to us how he had seen an angel in his house, who stood and said to him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, named also Peter. ¹⁴ He will speak words to you whereby both you and all your house shall be saved.

¹⁵ And as I began to preach, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as he did on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered the words of the Lord, how he said John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ Inasmuch then as God gave them the same gift as he did to us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I should have withstood God?

¹⁸ When they heard this, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then God has granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles also.

¹⁴ After John was taken, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God ¹⁵ and saying, The time has come, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel!

¹⁶ As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. ¹⁸ And straightaway they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And when he had gone a little further, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother as they were in the boat mending their nets. ²⁰ And right away he called them. And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with his hired servants, and went their way after him.

²¹ And they entered into Capernaum. And straightaway on the Sabbath days he entered into the synagogue and taught. ²² And the people marvelled at his teaching. For he taught them as one who had power with him, and not as the scribes.

²³ And there was in their synagogue a man vexed with an unclean spirit, who cried out, ²⁴ saying, Let us be! What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you, who you are: even the Holy One of God. ²⁵ And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold your peace and come out of him!

²⁶ And the unclean spirit tore the man and cried out with a loud voice, and came out of him. ²⁷ And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned one another among themselves, saying, What thing is this? What new doctrine is this? For he commands the foul spirits with power, and they obey him. ²⁸ And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region bordering on Galilee.