brance in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa, 32 1 34 Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and 35 worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. The 36 ancient au- word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preachread He sent ing 2 good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord 1 Many thorities the word unto. gospel. of all) that saying ye yourselves know, which was 37 Him God raised up the third day, and gave him 40 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost 44 fell on all them which heard the word. And they of 45 the circumcision which believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they 46 heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid the water, 47 that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded 48 11 them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judæa heard that the Gentiles also had received the 2 word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended 3 with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircum4 cised, and didst eat with them. But Peter began, and 5 expounded the matter unto them in order, saying, I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it 6 came even unto me: upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the fourfooted beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creep7 ing things and fowls of the heaven. And I heard also 8 a voice saying unto me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean 9 hath ever entered into my mouth. But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God 10 hath cleansed, make not thou common. And this was done thrice and all were drawn up again into 11 heaven. And behold, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, having been sent 12 from Cæsarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brethren also accompanied me; and we entered into 13 the man's house: and he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt 15 be saved, thou and all thy house. And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, even as on 16 us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized 1with 1Or, in. 17 the Holy Ghost. If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could 18 withstand God? And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then 1 Many ancient authorities read Grecian Jews. to the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life. 1 They therefore that were scattered abroad upon the 19 tribulation that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews. But there were some of 20 them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord 21 was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. And the report concerning 22 them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch who, when he was come, and had seen the 23 grace of God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, 2 that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord: for he was a good man, and full of the Holy 24 Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto they would cleave unto the Lord. And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for 25 the purpose Saul: and when he had found him, he brought him 26 of their heart in the unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people; and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 2 Some ancient authorities read that Lord. 3 Gr. in. 4 Gr. the inhabited earth. 5 Gr. for ministry. 4 3 Now in these days there came down prophets from 27 Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of 28 them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius. And the 29 disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send 5 relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judæa: which also they did, sending it to the elders 30 by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. Now about that time Herod the king put forth his 12 hands to afflict certain of the church. And he killed 2 James the brother of John with the sword. And when 3 he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread. And when he had taken him, he put him 4 in prison, and delivered him to four quarternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover 5 to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of 6 the church unto God for him. And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: 7 and guards before the door kept the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and woke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his 8 chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment 9 about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed; and he wist not that it was true which was 10 done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. And 1 Or, when they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord and they went out, and passed on through one street; and 11 straightway the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all 12 the expectation of the people of the Jews. And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a 14 maid came to answer, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but rap in, and told that Peter stood before 15 the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And 16 they said, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and 17 were amazed. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another 18 place. Now as soon as it was day, there was no small through. 1 Gr. led away to death. ment-seat. stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. And when Herod had sought for him, and found him 19 not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judæa to Cæsarea, and tarried there. 1 Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre 20 and Sidon and they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king's country. And upon a set day 21 Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on 2 Or, judge the throne, and made an oration unto them. And 22 the people shouted, saying, The voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately an angel of the Lord 23 smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. But the word of God grew and multiplied. 24 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, 25 when they had fulfilled their ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark. Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was 13 there, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, 2 the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. Then, 3 when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, went 4 down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they pro- 5 claimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews and they had also John as their attendant. And when they had gone through the whole island unto 6 Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus; which was with 7 the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the 8 sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) with 4 4 |