Acts 9-11

¹But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ²and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. ⁴He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” ⁵He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.” ⁷The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. ⁸Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.” ¹¹The Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, ¹²and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.” ¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem. ¹⁴Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” ¹⁷Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized. ¹⁹He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. ²⁰Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. ²¹All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!” ²²But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ. ²³When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, ²⁴but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, ²⁵but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. ²⁶When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸He was with them entering into Jerusalem, ²⁹preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him. ³⁰When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. ³¹So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. ³²As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. ³³There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed. ³⁴Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” Immediately he arose. ³⁵All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. ³⁶Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. ³⁷In those days, she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. ³⁸As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. ³⁹Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the tunics and other garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹He gave her his hand and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴²This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

¹Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, ²a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God. ³At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, “Cornelius!” ⁴He, fastening his eyes on him and being frightened, said, “What is it, Lord?” He said to him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God. ⁵Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is also called Peter. ⁶He is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the seaside. ⁷When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually. ⁸Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. ⁹Now on the next day as they were on their journey and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. ¹⁰He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance. ¹¹He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth, ¹²in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky. ¹³A voice came to him, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!” ¹⁴But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” ¹⁵A voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.” ¹⁶This was done three times, and immediately the thing was received up into heaven. ¹⁷Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate, ¹⁸and called and asked whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there. ¹⁹While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek you. ²⁰But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” ²¹Peter went down to the men, and said, “Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?” ²²They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say.” ²³So he called them in and provided a place to stay. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends. ²⁵When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. ²⁶But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up! I myself am also a man.” ²⁷As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together. ²⁸He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean. ²⁹Therefore I also came without complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send for me?” ³⁰Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing ³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight of God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is also called Peter. He is staying in the house of a tanner named Simon, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ ³³Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God.” ³⁴Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism; ³⁵but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him. ³⁶The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all— ³⁷you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; ³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging him on a tree. ⁴⁰God raised him up the third day and gave him to be revealed, ⁴¹not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.” ⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷“Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.” ⁴⁸He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.

¹Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. ²When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, ³saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” ⁴But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, ⁵“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me. ⁶When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. ⁷I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’ ⁸But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ ⁹But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’ ¹⁰This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. ¹²The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. ¹³He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, who is called Peter, ¹⁴who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’ ¹⁵As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷If then God gave to them the same gift as us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?” ¹⁸When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!” ¹⁹They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. ²⁰But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. ²²The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch, ²³who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord. ²⁴For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord. ²⁵Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. ²⁷Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸One of them named Agabus stood up and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius. ²⁹As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; ³⁰which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.