Beginning
9 And Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest,
2 and asked for letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the Way, (either men or women) he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 Now as he journeyed, it so happened that as he drew near to Damascus, there suddenly shone around 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 goads.”
6 Then, both trembling and astonished, he said, “Lord, what will You have me do?” And the Lord said to him, “Arise, and go into the city. And it shall be told to you what you shall do.”
7 The men who journeyed with him also stood amazed - hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 And Saul arose from the ground and opened his eyes but saw no man. Then, led they him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus,
9 where he was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Behold, I am here, Lord.”
11 Then the Lord said to him, “Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight. And look in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prays.”
12 “And in a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man; how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.
14 “Moreover, here he has the authority of the chief priests to bind all that call on Your Name.”
15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go. For he is a vessel chosen by Me to bear My Name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the children of Israel.
16 “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My Name’s sake.”
17 Then Ananias went, and entered that house, and put his hands on him, and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you on the way as you came, has sent me, so that you might receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”
18 And immediately something like ‘scales’ fell from his eyes. And suddenly he received sight, and arose, and was baptized,
19 and received food and was strengthened. So, Saul was with the Damascus disciples for some days.
20 And immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He was the Son of God.
21 So that all who heard him were amazed, and said, “Is not this he who harassed those who called on this Name in Jerusalem, and came here for that purpose, so that he could bring them bound to the chief priests?”
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, confirming that this was the Christ.
23 And after that many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him.
24 But their plot was known by Saul. Now, they watched the gates day and night, so that they might kill him.
25 Then the disciples took him at night. And, by rope, they let him down through the wall in a basket.
26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join 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 told them how he had seen the Lord on the road. And that he had spoken to Him. And how he had spoken boldly at Damascus in the Name of Jesus.
28 And he was with them, coming in and going out, at Jerusalem.
29 And he spoke boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus and spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they sought to kill him.
30 But when the brothers knew it, they brought him to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
31 Then the Churches had rest through all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, and walked in the fear of the Lord, and were multiplied by the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
32 And it so happened that as Peter walked throughout all quarters, he also came to the saints who dwelt in Lydda.
33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been sick of the palsy and lying on a mat for eight years.
34 Then Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ makes you whole. Arise, and make your bed.” And he arose immediately.
35 And all who dwelt in Lydda and Sharon, saw him, and turned to the Lord.
36 There was also a certain woman in Joppa, a disciple named Tabitha (which means ‘Dorcas’). She was full of good works and alms which she did.
37 And it so happened in those days that she fell sick and died. And after they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
38 Now since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, asking that he not delay in coming to them.
39 Then Peter arose and came with them. And when he had come, they brought him into the upper room, where all the weeping widows stood by him and showed him the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
40 But 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, she sat up.
41 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up, and called the saints and widows, and presented her alive.
42 And it was known throughout all Joppa. And many believed in the Lord.
43 And it so happened that he stayed in Joppa many days with one Simon, a tanner.
10 Furthermore, there was a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius - a captain of the band called the ‘Italian’ -
2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, who gave many alms to the people, and prayed to God continually.
3 Evidently, he saw an angel of God in a vision (about the ninth hour of the day) coming in to him and saying, “Cornelius.”
4 But when he looked at him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up in remembrance before God.
5 “Now, therefore, send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter.
6 “He lodges with one Simon, a Tanner, whose house is by the seaside. He shall tell you what you ought to do.”
7 And when the angel who spoke to Cornelius had departed, he called two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier (one of those who waited on him continually).
8 And he told them all things and sent them to Joppa.
9 The next day, about the sixth hour, as they went on their journey and drew near to the city, Peter went up on the house to pray.
10 Then he became hungry and wished to eat. But while they prepared it, he fell into a trance.
11 And he saw the sky opened. And a certain vessel came down to him, like a great sheet, tied at the four corners, and being let down to the Earth.
12 Inside were all kinds of four-footed beasts of the Earth, and wild beasts and creeping things, and birds of the heaven.
13 And there came a voice to him, “Arise, Peter. Kill, and eat.”
14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord. For I have never eaten anything that is polluted or unclean.”
15 And the voice spoke to him again a second time, “The things which God has cleansed, do not make common.”
16 This was done three times. And the vessel was drawn up again into Heaven.
17 Now, while Peter questioned in himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold the men who were sent from Cornelius had inquired after Simon’s house, and stood at the gate,
18 calling and asking whether Simon (who was surnamed Peter) was lodged there.
19 And while Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek you.
20 “Therefore, rise up. And get down. And go with them. And doubt nothing. For I have sent them.”
21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?”
22 And they said, “Cornelius the Captain - a just man, and one who fears God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews - was warned from Heaven by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear your words.”
23 Then he called them in and lodged them. And the next day, Peter went with them, and some brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And the day after that, they entered into Caesarea. Now Cornelius waited for them and had called together his family and special friends.
25 And it so happened, as Peter came in, that Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up. For I myself am also a man.”
27 And as he talked with him, he came in and found many who had gathered.
28 And he said to them, “You know that it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to keep company with, or come near, one of another Nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common, or unclean.
29 “Therefore I came to you without saying no when I was summoned. I ask, then, the reason why have you sent for me?”
30 Then Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I fasted. And at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house. And behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
31 “and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer is heard. And your alms are held in remembrance in the sight of God.
32 ‘Therefore, send to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter (he is lodged in the house of Simon a Tanner by the seaside) When he comes, he shall speak to you.’
33 “Then sent I for you immediately. And you have done well to come. Now, therefore, are we all present here before God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God.”
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, “Truthfully, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.
35 “But in every Nation, the one who fears Him, and works righteousness, is acceptable to Him.
36 “The Word - which God has sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, Who is Lord of all -
37 “you know the Word which came through all Judea, beginning in Galilee, after the Baptism which John preached;
38 “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power - Who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil - for God was with Him.
39 “And we are witnesses of all things done by Him Whom they killed and hung on a tree (things in both the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem).
40 “God raised Him up the third day, and showed Him openly -
41 “not to all the people, but to the witnesses chosen by God beforehand - to those of us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
42 “And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that He has been ordained by God as a judge of quick and dead.
43 “To Him also give all the Prophets witness, that through His Name all who believe in Him shall receive forgiveness of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell upon all those who heard the word.
45 So those of the circumcision who believed (as many as had come with Peter), were astonished because the gift of the Holy Ghost was also poured out on the Gentiles.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
47 “Can anyone forbid water, so that these who have received the Holy Ghost, as we have, should not be baptized?”
48 So he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay some days.
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