And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.
And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.
But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.
Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”
So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.
But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,
a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.
About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!”
he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”
When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants,
On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,
and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.
This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.
Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate;
While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?”
They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.”
So he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,
Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’
So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.
The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)--
you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.
You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.
God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible,
not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
“Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”
And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
“I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came right down to me,
and when I had fixed my gaze on it and was observing it I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the air.
This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky.
And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea.
The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house.
And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
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