Study Desk

Now ^(F1)at this time, as the ^(C1)disciples were ^(C2)increasing in number, a complaint developed on the part of the ^(F2)(C3)Hellenistic Jews against the native ^(C4)Hebrews, because their ^(C5)widows were being overlooked in ^(C6)the daily serving of food.

So the twelve summoned the ^(F1)congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

"Instead, ^(C1)brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, ^(C2)full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.

"But we will ^(C1)devote ourselves to prayer and to the ^(F1)ministry of the word."

The ^(F1)announcement found approval with the whole ^(F2)congregation; and they chose ^(C1)Stephen, a man ^(C2)full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and ^(C3)Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and ^(F3)Nicolas, a ^(F4)(C4)proselyte from ^(C5)Antioch.

And they brought these men before the apostles; and after ^(C1)praying, they ^(C2)laid their hands on them.

^(C1)The word of God kept spreading; and ^(C2)the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to ^(C3)the faith.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great ^(C1)wonders and ^(F1)signs among the people.

But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both ^(C1)Cyrenians and ^(C2)Alexandrians, and some from ^(C3)Cilicia and ^(F1)(C4)Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.

But they were unable to ^(F1)cope with his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."

And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they ^(C1)came up to him and dragged him away, and brought him ^(F1)before ^(C2)the ^(F2)Council.

They put forward ^(C1)false witnesses who said, "This man does not stop ^(F1)speaking against this ^(C2)holy place and the Law;

for we have heard him say that ^(C1)this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and change ^(C2)the customs which Moses handed down to us."

And all who were sitting in the ^(F1)(C1)Council stared at him, and they saw his face, which was like the face of an angel.

Now the high priest said, "Are these things so?"

And ^(F1)Stephen said, "Listen to me, ^(F2)(C1)brothers and fathers! ^(C2)The God of glory ^(C3)appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in ^(F3)Haran,

and He said to him, '^(C1)GO FROM YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME TO THE LAND WHICH I WILL SHOW YOU.'

"^(C1)Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in ^(F1)Haran. And ^(C2)from there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living.

"But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, ^(C1)He promised that He would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child.

"But ^(C1)God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE STRANGERS IN A LAND THAT WAS NOT THEIRS, AND ^(F1)THEY WOULD ENSLAVE AND MISTREAT THEM FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.

"'AND WHATEVER NATION TO WHICH THEY ARE ENSLAVED I MYSELF WILL JUDGE,' said God, 'AND ^(C1)AFTER THAT THEY WILL COME OUT AND ^(F1)SERVE ME IN THIS PLACE.'

"And He ^(C1)gave him ^(F1)the covenant of circumcision; and so ^(C2)Abraham fathered Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and ^(C3)Isaac fathered Jacob, and ^(C4)Jacob, the twelve ^(C5)patriarchs.

"The patriarchs ^(C1)became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him,

and rescued him from all his afflictions, and ^(C1)granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and his entire household.

"Now ^(C1)a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers ^(F1)could find no food.

"But ^(C1)when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time.

"And on the second visit, ^(C1)Joseph ^(F1)made himself known to his brothers, and ^(C2)Joseph's family was revealed to Pharaoh.

"Then ^(C1)Joseph sent word and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, ^(C2)seventy-five ^(F1)(C3)people in all.

"And ^(C1)Jacob went down to Egypt, and he and our fathers died there.

"And they were brought back from there to ^(F1)(C1)Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of ^(F2)Hamor in ^(F1)Shechem.

"But as the ^(C1)time of the promise which God had assured to Abraham was approaching, ^(C2)the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

until ^(C1)ANOTHER KING AROSE OVER EGYPT WHO DID NOT KNOW JOSEPH.

"It was he who ^(C1)shrewdly took advantage of our nation and mistreated our fathers in order that they would ^(C2)abandon their infants in the Nile, so that they would not survive.

"At this time ^(C1)Moses was born; and he was beautiful to God. He was nurtured for three months in his father's home.

"And after he had been put outside, ^(C1)Pharaoh's daughter ^(F1)took him away and nurtured him as her own son.

"Moses was educated in all ^(C1)the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was proficient in ^(F1)speaking and action.

"But when he was approaching the age of forty, ^(C1)it entered his ^(F1)mind to visit his countrymen, the sons of Israel.

"And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended and took vengeance for the oppressed man by fatally striking the Egyptian.

"And he thought that his brothers understood that God was granting them ^(F1)deliverance ^(F2)through him; but they did not understand.

"^(C1)And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting each other, and he tried to reconcile them to peace, by saying, 'Men, you are brothers, why are you injuring each other?'

"But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, '^(C1)WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND JUDGE OVER US?

'^(C1)YOU DO NOT INTEND TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN YESTERDAY, DO YOU?'

"At this remark, ^(C1)MOSES FLED AND BECAME A STRANGER IN THE LAND OF ^(F1)MIDIAN, where he ^(C2)fathered two sons.

"After forty years had passed, ^(C1)an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush.

"When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came:

'^(C1)I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND ISAAC, AND JACOB.' Moses shook with fear and did not dare to look closely.

"^(C1)But the LORD said to him, '^(F1)(C2)REMOVE YOUR SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND.

'^(C1)I HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THE OPPRESSION OF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN EGYPT, AND HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANING, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM; AND ^(C2)NOW COME, I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.'

"This Moses whom they ^(C1)disowned, saying, 'WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?' is the one whom God ^(F1)sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the ^(F2)help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.

"^(C1)This man led them out, performing ^(C2)wonders and ^(F1)signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea, and in the ^(C3)wilderness for forty years.

"This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, '^(C1)GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET ^(F1)LIKE ME FROM YOUR COUNTRYMEN.'

"This is the one who was in ^(C1)the ^(F1)assembly in the wilderness together with ^(C2)the angel who spoke to him at length on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received ^(C3)living ^(C4)words to pass on to you.

"Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him; on the contrary they ^(C1)rejected him and turned back to Egypt in their hearts,

^(C1)saying to Aaron, 'MAKE US ^(F1)A GOD WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT—WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.'

"^(F1)At that time ^(C1)they made a ^(F2)calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in ^(C2)the works of their hands.

"But God ^(C1)turned away and gave them over to ^(F1)serve the heavenly ^(F2)lights; as it is written in the book of the prophets: '^(C2)YOU DID NOT OFFER ME VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES ^(C3)FOR FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, DID YOU, HOUSE OF ISRAEL?

'^(C1)YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF YOUR GOD ^(F1)ROMPHA, THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP. I ALSO WILL DEPORT YOU BEYOND BABYLON.'

"Our fathers had ^(C1)the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it ^(C2)according to the pattern which he had seen.

"Our fathers in turn received it, and they also ^(C1)brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the ^(F1)nations that God drove out from our fathers, until the time of David.

"^(F1)(C1)David found favor in God's sight, and ^(C2)asked that he might ^(F2)find a dwelling place for the ^(F3)house of Jacob.

"But it was ^(C1)Solomon who built a house for Him.

"However, ^(C1)the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

'^(C1)HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND THE EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?' says the Lord, 'OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REST?

-'^(C1)WAS IT NOT MY HAND THAT MADE ALL THESE THINGS?'

"You men who are ^(C1)stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

"^(C1)Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of ^(C2)the Righteous One, and ^(C3)you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him;

you who received the Law as ^(C1)ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it."

Now when they heard this, they were ^(C1)infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

But he, being ^(C1)full of the Holy Spirit, ^(C2)looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing ^(C3)at the right hand of God;

and he said, "Behold, I see the ^(C1)heavens opened and ^(C2)the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one ^(F1)mind.

When they had ^(C1)driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and ^(C2)the witnesses ^(C3)laid aside their cloaks at the feet of ^(C4)a young man named Saul.

They went on stoning Stephen as he ^(C1)called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"

Then he ^(C1)fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, ^(C2)do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he ^(F1)(C3)fell asleep.

^(C1)Now Saul approved of putting ^(F1)Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution ^(F2)began against ^(C2)the church in Jerusalem, and they were all ^(C3)scattered throughout the regions of Judea and ^(C4)Samaria, except for the apostles.

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Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him.

But ^(C1)Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would ^(C2)drag away men and women and put them in prison.

Therefore, those ^(C1)who had been scattered went through places ^(F1)(C2)preaching the word.

^(C1)Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the ^(F1)Christ to them.

The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the ^(F1)signs which he was performing.

For in the case of many who had ^(C1)unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been ^(C2)paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed.

So there was ^(C1)much rejoicing in that city.

Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing ^(C1)magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, ^(C2)claiming to be someone great;

and all the people, from small to great, were paying attention to him, saying, "^(C1)This man is the Power of God that is called Great."

And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his ^(C1)magic arts.

But when they believed Philip ^(C1)as he was preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being ^(C2)baptized.

Now even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed ^(C1)signs and ^(C2)great miracles taking place, he was repeatedly amazed.

Now when ^(C1)the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them ^(C2)Peter and John,

who came down and prayed for them ^(C1)that they would receive the Holy Spirit.

(For He had ^(C1)not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been ^(C2)baptized ^(F1)in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Then they ^(C1)began laying their hands on them, and they were ^(C2)receiving the Holy Spirit.

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could ^(C1)acquire the gift of God with money!

"You have ^(C1)no part or share in this ^(F1)matter, for your heart is not ^(C2)right before God.

"Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, ^(C1)if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you.

"For I see that you are ^(F1)in the gall of bitterness and in ^(C1)the ^(F2)bondage of unrighteousness."

But Simon answered and said, "^(C1)Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."

So, when they had solemnly ^(C1)testified and spoken ^(C2)the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were ^(C3)preaching the gospel to many villages of the ^(C4)Samaritans.

But ^(C1)an angel of the Lord spoke to ^(C2)Philip, saying, "Get ready and go ^(F1)south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to ^(C3)Gaza." (^(F2)This is a desert road.)

So he got ready and went; and ^(F1)(C1)there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of ^(F2)Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he ^(C2)had come to Jerusalem to worship,

and he was returning and sitting in his ^(F1)chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet.

Then ^(C1)the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this ^(F1)chariot."

Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "^(C1)HE WAS LED LIKE A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND LIKE A LAMB THAT IS SILENT BEFORE ITS SHEARER, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.

-"^(C1)IN HUMILIATION HIS JUSTICE WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL ^(F1)DESCRIBE HIS ^(F2)GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE EARTH."

The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?"

Then Philip ^(C1)opened his mouth, and ^(C2)beginning from this Scripture he ^(C3)preached Jesus to him.

As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch ^(*)said, "Look! Water! ^(C1)What prevents me from being baptized?"^(F1)

And he ordered that the ^(F1)chariot stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

When they came up out of the water, ^(C1)the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, ^(F1)but went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip ^(F1)found himself at ^(F2)(C1)Azotus, and as he passed through he ^(C2)kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to ^(C3)Caesarea.

^(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.

Now about that time ^(F1)Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church, to do them harm.

And he ^(C1)had James the brother of John ^(C2)executed with a sword.

When he saw that it ^(C1)pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well. (Now these were ^(F1)(C2)the days of Unleavened Bread.)

When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four ^(F1)(C1)squads of soldiers to guard him, intending only after ^(C2)the Passover to bring him before the people.

So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God ^(F1)intensely by the church.

On ^(F1)the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, ^(C1)bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.

And behold, ^(C1)an angel of the Lord suddenly ^(C2)stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And ^(C3)his chains fell off his hands.

And the angel said to him, "Put on your belt and ^(F1)strap on your sandals." And he did so. And he ^(*)said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."

And he went out and continued to follow, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing ^(C1)a vision.

Now when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which ^(C1)opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

When Peter ^(C1)came ^(F1)to himself, he said, "Now I know for sure that ^(C2)the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all ^(F2)that the Jewish people were expecting."

And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of ^(C1)John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and ^(C2)were praying.

When he knocked at the door of the gate, ^(C1)a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer.

When she recognized Peter's voice, ^(C1)because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, "It is ^(C1)his angel."