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^(C1)Now ^(F1)Saul, still ^(C2)breathing ^(F2)threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

and asked for ^(C1)letters from him to ^(C2)the synagogues in ^(C3)Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to ^(F1)(C4)the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem.

Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and ^(C1)suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;

and ^(C1)he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

but get up and enter the city, and ^(C1)it will be told to you what you must do."

The men who traveled with him ^(C1)stood speechless, ^(C2)hearing the ^(F1)voice but seeing no one.

Saul got up from the ground, and ^(C1)though his eyes were open, he ^(F1)could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into ^(C2)Damascus.

And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple in ^(C1)Damascus named ^(C2)Ananias; and the Lord said to him in ^(C3)a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."

And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from ^(C1)Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

and he has seen ^(F1)in a vision a man named Ananias come in and ^(C1)lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight."

But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, ^(C1)how much harm he did to ^(C2)Your ^(F1)saints in Jerusalem;

and here he ^(C1)has authority from the chief priests to ^(F1)arrest all who ^(C2)call on Your name."

But the Lord said to him, "Go, for ^(C1)he is a chosen ^(F1)instrument of Mine, to bear My name before ^(C2)the Gentiles and ^(C3)kings and the sons of Israel;

for ^(C1)I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name."

So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after ^(C1)laying his hands on him said, "^(C2)Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be ^(C3)filled with the Holy Spirit."

And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;

and he took food and was strengthened. Saul Begins to Preach Christ Now ^(C1)for several days he was with ^(C2)the disciples who were in Damascus,

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and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus ^(C1)in the synagogues, ^(F1)saying, "He is ^(C2)the Son of God."

All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, "Is this not the one who in Jerusalem ^(C1)destroyed those who ^(C2)called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"

But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the ^(F1)Christ.

When ^(C1)many days had elapsed, ^(C2)the Jews plotted together to do away with him,

but ^(C1)their plot became known to Saul. ^(C2)They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;

but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

^(C1)When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple.

But ^(C1)Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had ^(C2)seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how ^(C3)he had ^(C4)spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus.

And he was with them, ^(F1)moving about freely in Jerusalem, ^(C1)speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.

And he was talking and arguing with the ^(F1)(C1)Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.

Now when ^(C1)the ^(F1)brothers learned of it, they brought him down to ^(C2)Caesarea and ^(C3)sent him away to ^(C4)Tarsus.

So ^(C1)the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria ^(F1)enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it ^(F2)continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.

Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he also came down to ^(C1)the ^(F1)saints who lived at ^(F2)(C2)Lydda.

There he found a man named Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years, ^(F1)because he was paralyzed.

Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your own bed." Immediately he got up.

And all who lived at ^(F1)(C1)Lydda and ^(C2)Sharon saw him, and they ^(C3)turned to the Lord.

Now in ^(C1)Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which when translated means ^(F1)Dorcas); this woman was ^(F2)excelling in acts of kindness and charity which she did habitually.

But it happened ^(F1)at that time that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an ^(C1)upstairs room.

Since Lydda was near ^(C1)Joppa, ^(C2)the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Do not delay in coming to us."

So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the ^(C1)room upstairs; and all the ^(C2)widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the ^(F1)tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.

But Peter ^(C1)sent them all out and ^(C2)knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, "^(C3)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 ^(C1)the ^(F1)saints and ^(C2)widows, he presented her alive.

It became known all over ^(C1)Joppa, and ^(C2)many believed in the Lord.

And Peter stayed in ^(C1)Joppa many days with ^(C2)a tanner named Simon.

Now there was a man in ^(C1)Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was ^(C2)called the Italian ^(F1)cohort,

a devout man and ^(C1)one who feared God with all his household, and ^(C2)made many charitable contributions to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.

About ^(C1)the ^(F1)ninth hour of the day he clearly saw ^(C2)in a vision ^(C3)an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!"

And he ^(C1)looked at him intently and became terrified, and said, "What is it, lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and charitable gifts ^(C2)have ascended ^(C3)as a memorial offering before God.

"Now dispatch some men to ^(C1)Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;

he is staying with a tanner named ^(C1)Simon, whose house is by the sea."

When the angel who ^(*)spoke to him left, he summoned two of his ^(F1)servants and a devout soldier from his personal attendants,

and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to ^(C1)Joppa.

On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, ^(C1)Peter went up on ^(C2)the ^(F1)housetop about ^(F2)(C3)the sixth hour to pray.

But he became hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were making preparations, he ^(C1)fell into a trance;

and he ^(*)saw ^(C1)the sky opened up, and an ^(F1)object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,

and on it were all kinds of four-footed animals and ^(F1)crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the sky.

A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, ^(F1)kill and eat!"

But Peter said, "By no means, ^(C1)Lord, for ^(C2)I have never eaten anything ^(F1)unholy and unclean."

Again a voice came to him a second time, "^(C1)What God has cleansed, no longer ^(F1)consider unholy."

This happened three times, and immediately the ^(F1)object was taken up into the sky.

Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in ^(F1)mind as to what ^(C1)the vision which he had seen might ^(F2)mean, behold, ^(C2)the men who had been sent by Cornelius had asked directions to Simon's house, and they appeared at the gate;

and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.

While Peter was reflecting on ^(C1)the vision, ^(C2)the Spirit said to him, "Behold, ^(F1)three men are looking for you.

"But get up, go downstairs and ^(C1)accompany them ^(F1)without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself."

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 ^(C1)God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, ^(C2)was divinely directed by a ^(C3)holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear ^(F1)(C4)a message from you."

So he invited them in and gave them lodging. Peter in Caesarea Now on the next day he got ready and went away with them, and ^(C1)some of ^(C2)the brothers from ^(C3)Joppa accompanied him.

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On the following day he entered ^(C1)Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and ^(F1)(C1)worshiped him.

But Peter helped him up, saying, "^(C1)Stand up; I, too, am just a man."

As he talked with him, he entered and ^(*)found ^(C1)many people assembled.

And he said to them, "You yourselves know that it is ^(C1)forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a ^(F1)foreigner; and yet ^(C2)God has shown me that I am not to call any person ^(F2)unholy or unclean.

"That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask, for what reason did you send for me?"

Cornelius said, "^(C1)Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during ^(C2)the ^(F1)ninth hour; and behold, ^(C3)a man stood before me in shining clothing,

and he ^(*)said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your charitable gifts have been remembered before God.

'Therefore send some men to ^(C1)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 men to you immediately, and you have ^(F1)been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear everything that you have been commanded by the Lord."

^(C1)Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that ^(C2)God is not one to show partiality,

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but ^(C1)in every nation the one who ^(F1)(C2)fears Him and ^(F2)does what is right is acceptable to Him.

"The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, ^(C1)preaching ^(F1)(C2)peace through Jesus Christ (He is ^(C3)Lord of all)—

you yourselves know the thing that happened throughout Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.

"^(F1)You know of ^(C1)Jesus of Nazareth, how God ^(C2)anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, ^(F2)(C3)and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for ^(C4)God was with Him.

"We are ^(C1)witnesses of all the things that He did both in the ^(F1)country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on ^(F2)(C2)a cross.

"^(C1)God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He ^(F1)be revealed,

^(C1)not to all the people, but to ^(C2)witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us ^(C3)who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

"And He ^(C1)ordered us to ^(F1)preach to the people, and to ^(C2)testify solemnly that this is the One who has been ^(C3)appointed by God as ^(C4)Judge of the living and the dead.

"^(C1)All the prophets testify of Him, that through ^(C2)His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."

While Peter was still speaking these words, ^(C1)the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the ^(F1)message.

^(C1)All the ^(F1)Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been ^(C2)poured out on the Gentiles.

For they were hearing them ^(C1)speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter responded,

"^(C1)Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who ^(C2)have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"

And he ^(C1)ordered them to be baptized ^(C2)in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

Now the apostles and ^(C1)the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, ^(F1)(C1)the Jewish believers took issue with him,

saying, "^(C1)You ^(F1)went to ^(F2)uncircumcised men and ate with them."

But Peter began and explained at length to them ^(C1)in an orderly sequence, saying,

"^(C1)I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw ^(C2)a vision, an ^(F1)object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came to where I was,

and I stared at it and was thinking about it, and I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild animals, the ^(F1)crawling creatures, and the birds of the sky.

"I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; ^(F1)kill and eat.'

"But I said, 'By no means, Lord, for nothing ^(F1)unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

"But a voice from heaven answered a second time, '^(C1)What God has cleansed, no longer ^(F1)consider unholy.'

"This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky.

"And behold, at that moment three men who had been sent to me from ^(C1)Caesarea came up to the house where we were staying.

"^(C1)And the Spirit told me to go with them ^(C2)without ^(F1)misgivings. ^(C3)These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house.

"And he reported to us how he had seen the angel ^(F1)standing in his house, and saying, 'Send some men to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;

and he will speak ^(C1)words to you by which you will be saved, you and ^(C2)all your household.'

"And as I began to speak, ^(C1)the Holy Spirit fell upon them just ^(C2)as He did upon us at the beginning.

"And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, '^(C1)John baptized with water, but you will be baptized ^(F1)with the Holy Spirit.'

"Therefore, if ^(C1)God gave them the same gift as He also gave to us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, ^(C2)who was I that I could ^(F1)stand in God's way?"

When they heard this, they ^(F1)quieted down and ^(C1)glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has also granted to the Gentiles the ^(C2)repentance that leads to life."

^(C1)So then those who were scattered because of the ^(F1)persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way ^(F2)to ^(C2)Phoenicia, ^(C3)Cyprus, and ^(C4)Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.

But there were some of them, men of ^(C1)Cyprus and ^(C2)Cyrene, who came to ^(C3)Antioch and began speaking to the ^(F1)(C4)Greeks as well, ^(C5)preaching the good news of the Lord Jesus.

And ^(C1)the hand of the Lord was with them, and ^(C2)a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

The ^(F1)news about them ^(F2)reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent ^(C1)Barnabas off ^(F3)to ^(C2)Antioch.

Then when he arrived and ^(F1)witnessed ^(C1)the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with ^(F2)resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;

for he was a good man, and ^(C1)full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And ^(F1)(C2)considerable numbers were added to the Lord.

And he left for ^(C1)Tarsus to look for Saul;

and when he had found him, he brought him to ^(C1)Antioch. And for an entire year they ^(F1)met with the church and taught ^(F2)considerable numbers of people; and ^(C2)the disciples were first called ^(C3)Christians in ^(C1)Antioch.

Now ^(F1)at this time some ^(C1)prophets came down from Jerusalem to ^(C2)Antioch.

One of them, named ^(C1)Agabus, stood up and ^(F1)indicated ^(F2)by the Spirit that there would definitely be a severe famine ^(C2)all over the ^(F3)world. ^(F4)And this took place in the reign of ^(C3)Claudius.

And to the extent that any of ^(C1)the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the ^(F1)relief of ^(C2)the brothers and sisters living in Judea.

^(C1)And they did this, sending it ^(F1)with ^(C2)Barnabas and Saul to the ^(C3)elders.