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.

¹² Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. ¹³ The Pharisees said to him, You bear witness of yourself; your witness is not true.

¹⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, Though I bear witness of myself, yet my witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge after the flesh. I judge no one; ¹⁶ and yet if I do judge, my judgment is true. For I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. ¹⁷ It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. ¹⁸ I am one who bears witness of myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of me.

¹⁹ Then they said to him, Where is your father?

Jesus answered, You know neither me, nor yet my Father. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.

²⁰ These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. And no man laid hands on him, for his time was not yet come.