Study Desk

All who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man in Jerusalem who was causing havoc for those who called on this name and came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.

Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with Simon, a leather tanner.

He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God.

Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter.

“No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.”

While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit told him, “Three men are here looking for you.

Then Peter went down to the men and said, “Here I am, the one you’re looking for. What is the reason you’re here?”

Peter said to them, “You know it’s forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner, but God has shown me that I must not call any person impure or unclean.

That’s why I came without any objection when I was sent for. So may I ask why you sent for me?”

So I immediately sent for you, and it was good of you to come. So now we are all in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.”

For they heard them speaking in other tongues and declaring the greatness of God.

He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

“‘No, Lord!’ I said. ‘For nothing impure or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

He reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter.

for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord.

Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,

and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.

When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.