Beginning

Paul is converted & confounds the Jews. Peter raises Tabitha.

9 And Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of this Way, whether they were men or women, he could bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ But as he journeyed and came near to Damascus, suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven. ⁴ And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ⁵ And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the prick. And he, both trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what will you have me to do? And the Lord said to him, ⁶ Arise and go into the city, and it will be told you what you must do.

⁷ The men who journeyed with him stood amazed, for they heard a voice, but saw no one. ⁸ And Saul arose from the ground and opened his eyes, but saw no one. Then they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go to the street that is called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For he is praying, ¹² and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in to him and putting his hands on him, so that he may receive his sight.

¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the high priests to arrest all who call on your name.

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, Go your way. For he is a chosen vessel of mine, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

¹⁷ Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and put his hands on him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me, so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received sight and arose, and was baptized, ¹⁹ and took food, and was comforted.

Then Saul spent some days with the disciples who were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightaway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he was the Son of God. ²¹ All who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not the man that ravaged those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here intending to bring them as prisoners to the high priests?

  ²² But Saul increased in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that Jesus was the very Christ.

²³ And after a good while the Jews took counsel together, to kill him. ²⁴ But Paul knew they were laying in wait. And they watched at the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵ Then the disciples took him by night, and put him through the wall and let him down in a basket.

²⁶ And when Saul got to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself with the disciples. But they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and explained to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and had spoken with him, and how bold he had been at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ And Saul had his intercourse with them at Jerusalem, ²⁹ and acquitted himself boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. And he spoke and disputed with the Greeks, and they went about to kill him. ³⁰ But when the brethren knew of this, they brought him to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the congregations had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were strengthened, and walked in the fear of the Lord, and multiplied by the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

³² And it chanced that, as Peter walked throughout all the country, he came to the saints who dwelt at Lydda. ³³ And there he found a certain man named Eneas, who had been confined to his bed sick for eight years, paralyzed. ³⁴ Then Peter said to him, Eneas, may Jesus Christ make you whole! Arise, and make your bed. And he arose immediately. ³⁵ And all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord.

³⁶ There was at Joppa a certain woman, a disciple named Tabitha (which, translated, is Dorcas). She was full of good works and alms-deeds that she did. ³⁷ And it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a chamber. ³⁸ Because Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent to him, imploring him not to be grieved to come to them.

³⁹ Peter arose and went with them. And when he arrived, they brought him into the chamber. And all the widows stood round about him, weeping and showing the coats and the garments that Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ And Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed, and turned to the body and said, Tabitha, arise! And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and lifted her up, and called the saints and widows, and showed her alive.

⁴² And this was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. ⁴³ And it came about that Peter stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.

The vision that Peter saw. How he was sent to Cornelius. The heathen also receive the Spirit, and are baptized.

10 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a captain of the soldiers of Italy, ² a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household. He gave many alms to the people, and prayed to God always. ³ The same man saw in a vision clearly, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him, Cornelius! ⁴ When he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? He said to him, Your prayers and your alms have come up into remembrance before God. ⁵ And now, send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, named also Peter. ⁶ He lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside. ⁷ He will tell you what you ought to do.

When the angel who spoke to Cornelius had departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those that waited on him, ⁸ and told them all the matter, and sent them to Joppa.

⁹ On the next day, as they went on their journey and drew near to the city, Peter went up upon the top of the house to pray, about the sixth hour. ¹⁰ Then he grew hungry and wanted to eat. But while they made ready, he fell into a trance, ¹¹ and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel come down to him, like a great sheet knit at the four corners. And it was let down to the earth. ¹² In it were all manner of four-footed animals of the earth, and wild beasts, and reptiles, and birds of the air. ¹³ And there came a voice to him: Rise, Peter; kill and eat! ¹⁴ But Peter said, God forbid, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. ¹⁵ And the voice spoke to him again the second time: What God has cleansed, do not judge common. ¹⁶ This was done three times, and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

¹⁷ While Peter mused in himself what this vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and were standing before the door. ¹⁸ And one called out and asked whether Simon who was also called Peter was lodged there. ¹⁹ While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are seeking you. ²⁰ Arise therefore; go down and go with them, and do not doubt. For I have sent them.

²¹ Peter went down to the men that were sent to him from Cornelius and said, I am the one you are seeking. What is the reason for your visit?

²² And they said to him, Cornelius the captain, a just man, and one who fears God and is of good report among all the people of the Jews, was told by a holy angel to send for you to come into his house and to hear words from you.

²³ Then he invited them in and lodged them. And the next day, Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ And the third day, they entered into Caesarea.

Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and special friends. ²⁵ And as Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. ²⁶ But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up. For even I myself am a man.

²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. ²⁸ And he said to them, You know that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or visit with a foreigner. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ²⁹ Therefore I came to you, without saying no, as soon as I was sent for. I ask therefore, why have you sent for me?

³⁰ And Cornelius said, Four days ago now I had been fasting, and at the ninth hour I was praying in my house. And behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ³¹ and said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms-deeds are remembered in the sight of God. ³² Send therefore to Joppa, and call for Simon who is also called Peter. He is lodged in the house of one Simon, a tanner by the seaside. ³³ As soon as he has come, he will speak to you. Then I sent for you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now we are all here present before God, to hear all the things that are commanded to you by God.

³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is not partial, ³⁵ but among all peoples, whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted with him.

³⁶ You know the preaching that God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, who is Lord over all things. ³⁷ This preaching was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – ³⁸ how God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Which Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devils. For God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all the things that he did in the land of the Jews and at Jerusalem. But they slew him, and hung him on a tree. ⁴⁰ But God raised him up on the third day, and showed him openly – ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to us witnesses chosen before by God, who ate and drank with him after he arose from death. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who is ordained by God to be judge of the quick and the dead. ⁴³ To him all the prophets give witness: that through his name, all who believe in him shall receive remission of sins.

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the preaching. ⁴⁵ And the men of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also shed out on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ Can any man forbid water to baptize these people, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? ⁴⁸ And he directed them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.