PETER BAPTIZES CORNELIUS AND HIS FRIENDS. THE APOSTLES AT JERUSALEM REPROVE HIM FOR DOING SO. HE TELLS THEM HOW GOD SHOWED HIM THAT THE GOSPEL IS TO BE PREACHED TO THE GENTILES AS WELL AS THE JEWS. PETER, BEING PUT IN PRISON. IS SET FREE BY AN ANGEL. BARNABAS AND SAUL PREACH IN DIFFERENT CITIES.
THERE was a man in the city of Cesarea named Cornelius, a centurion in the Roman army. He was not a Jew; yet he was a good man, who feared God and taught his family to fear him, giving much alms to the poor, and praying to God always. Cornelius saw, in a vision, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel coming to him and saying, Cornelius. When he saw the angel he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? The angel answered, God has heard thy prayers, and seen the alms which thou hast given. Now send men to Joppa for a man named Peter, who is staying in the house of Simon the tanner, which is by the sea-side; when he has come, he will tell thee what thou oughtest to do. After the angel had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants who waited upon him, and also a soldier who feared God, and whom he kept with him continually. And when he had told them what the angel said, he sent them to Joppa.
The next day, as they went on their journey and came near to the city, Peter, who did not know they were coming, went up on the house-top to pray; for, as we have read, the houses in which the Jews lived, had flat roofs, and oftentimes a little room was built upon them, where any one of the family could go, and be alone, and pray to God. And Peter went up on the house-top to pray about the sixth hour. As he prayed, he grew very hungry and wanted to eat; then he had a dream, or vision. He saw the sky above him open, and something like a great sheet, held up at the four corners, was let down to the earth before him. In this sheet were all kinds of wild beasts, and creeping things, and birds of the air. And there came a voice, saying, Rise, Peter, kill and eat.
We have read how Moses commanded the children of Israel not to eat any of the animals that were called unclean. Now some of these animals were in the sheet. Therefore, when the voice told Peter to kill and eat them, he answered, I cannot do it, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is forbidden or unclean. Then the voice spoke again, saying, What God has made clean, do not thou call forbidden or unclean. These words were spoken three times, and then the sheet was lifted up toward heaven again.
It was God who sent the vision to Peter, and the reason he sent it was this: The Jews thought, because God had chosen them for his people, that they were better than other nations, and that Jesus came to save them alone. They called other nations unclean, and did not want to preach the gospel to them. But now God taught Peter that this was wrong. For the animals that he saw in the vision meant those other nations, and God intended in this way to show Peter that he should not call them unclean any more, nor refuse to teach them, but should preach to them just as he preached to the Jews; because God had made those nations as well as the Jews, and had sent Jesus to save them also.
While Peter was wondering in himself what the vision could mean, the servants of Cornelius came to Simon's house, and stood before the gate and asked if Peter were there. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to Peter, saying, Behold, three men are looking for thee. Arise and go with them, without fear, for I have sent them. And Peter went down to the men, and said to them, Behold, I am he whom you seek; for what reason have you come? They answered, Cornelius, the centurion, who is a just man and one that fears God, and is well thought of by all the Jews, was told by a holy angel to send for thee to come to his house, that he might hear the words which thou wouldst speak. Then Peter called the men into Simon's house, and kept them that night; on the morrow he went with them, and some of the disciples who lived at Joppa went also.
The next day they came to Cesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and had invited his relations and near friends to be with him when Peter should come. And as Peter entered into his house, Cornelius fell down and worshipped him. But Peter spoke to him, saying, Stand up; for I am only a man like thyself. Then Peter went in with him and found there many persons gathered together who were not Jews, but Gentiles. And he said to them, You know that the Jews say it is wrong for them to make friends with the men of other nations, because the Jews think themselves better, and call others common and unclean. But God has taught me, in a vision, not to call the men of other nations common or unclean. Therefore I came to you as soon as you sent for me, and now I ask for what reason you wanted me to come?
Cornelius answered, Four days ago I was fasting and praying in my house, and, behold, an angel stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, God has heard thy prayers, and seen thy kind acts to the poor. Send, therefore, to Joppa for a man named Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea-side. When he comes, he will tell how thou canst be saved, and all thy family with thee. Immediately then I sent for thee, and thou hast done kindly to come. Now, therefore, we are all met together to hear what God has commanded thee to say. Then Peter spoke to them, and said, Truly, I see that God does not choose one nation to be his people more than another, but in every nation those persons who fear him, and do what is right, he takes for his children. You have heard of the words that are preached to the children of Israel about Jesus: how God sent him into the world, and how he went about doing good. Yet the Jews took him and put him to death. But God raised him up again on the third day, and showed him to us, his apostles, who did eat and drink with him after he had risen. And he commanded us to preach to the people, and tell them that God has appointed him to be the Judge of all men. For he is the one of whom the prophets said, that all those who believe in him shall have their sins forgiven.
While Peter was yet speaking, the Holy Ghost came upon Cornelius, and the other Gentiles who were with him. And the Jews who had come with Peter from Joppa, were astonished: for, before that time, they thought that God did not care for the Gentiles, but now they saw that he sent his Holy Spirit upon them, and they heard the Gentiles speaking in other languages which they had never understood before, the Holy Spirit giving them power to do so, Then Peter said, Ought not these men to be baptized, to whom the Holy Ghost has been sent as well as to us? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus. Then they begged him to stay with them for some days.
The apostles and disciples at Jerusalem heard that Peter had gone to Cornelius and his friends at Cesarea. And when Peter came to Jerusalem they found fault with him, saying, Thou wentest into the house to visit men who are Gentiles, and didst eat with them. But Peter told them of all that had happened to him, how God had taught him by the vision, that he was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles also, and had commanded him to go with the men whom Cornelius sent. And, Peter said, while I was preaching to Cornelius and his friends, the Holy Ghost came upon them as he did upon us, who are Jews, at the day of Pentecost. Therefore, as God sent his Spirit upon them, what was I, that I should oppose him? When the apostles and disciples heard these things, they ceased to blame Peter, and gave thanks, saying, Then has God given to the Gentiles also, new hearts, that they may be saved as well as we.
Now some of the disciples who fled from Jerusalem at the time Stephen was put to death, went to a city called Antioch, in the land of Syria, and there preached to the Gentiles, and God helped them, so that great numbers believed. When news of this reached Jerusalem, the apostles sent Barnabas to Antioch, who having come there and seen how many believed, was glad; and he spoke kindly to them, persuading them to go on, earnestly serving the Lord. For Barnabas was a good man, whose heart was full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and through his preaching, many more persons believed in Jesus.
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch; and they stayed with the church in that city (that is, with the disciples who met together there) for a whole year, preaching the gospel to many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called by the name of Christians.
In those days some men who were prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem. And one of them named Agabus, stood up and said, that a great famine was coming in all lands. Then the disciples at Antioch determined to help the Christians at Jerusalem, and they sent alms to them by Barnabas and Saul, each one giving as much as he was able.
About that time, Herod, the king, began to persecute the Christians; he killed James, one of the apostles, with the sword, and because he saw it pleased the Jews, he took Peter also, and put him in prison, setting soldiers to watch over him, by night and by day, that he should not escape; intending, after the feast of the passover, to bring him out to the people and put him to death. Peter, therefore, was kept in prison, but prayer was made continually by the church in Jerusalem for him. On the night before he was to be brought out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, being bound with two chains that were fastened to the soldiers' hands, so that if he moved they would know it.
And, behold, an angel came to him, and a light shone in the prison. And the angel touched Peter's side, and wakened him, saying, Rise up quickly. But the soldiers did not waken. Then the chains fell off from Peter's hands, and the angel said to him, Dress thyself, and put on thy sandals and follow me. And Peter followed him; but he thought it was only a dream, or vision. When they had passed the guard of soldiers, they came to the iron gate that led into the city, which opened to them of its own accord. And they went out, and walked on through the first street, and there the angel left him.
When Peter had time to think of what had been done, he said to himself, Now I know surely that the Lord has sent his angel to save me from Herod and from the Jews, who expected to kill me. And he went to the house of Mary, the mother of a disciple whose name was Mark, where many Christians were gathered together praying. As Peter knocked at the gate, a young woman came to listen, named Rhoda, who, when she heard his voice, was so full of gladness that she forgot to open the gate for him, but ran back and told those who were in the house that Peter was there. They said to her, Thou art mad; Peter is in prison. Yet she declared the more earnestly that it was he. Then they said, It must be his spirit. Still Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But he, motioning with his hand that they should be still, told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said, Go tell these things to the other apostles. And he left them, and went to another place.
Now as soon as it was morning, the soldiers wondered where Peter had gone, for the angel (as we suppose) had made them fall into so deep a sleep that they saw nothing of what had been done. And when Herod called them to him and questioned them, but found they could not tell what had become of Peter, he commanded that they should be put to death.
After this there was a day when Herod dressed in his royal robes, sat on his throne and made an oration, or speech, to the people, who as they heard him, gave a shout, and cried, It is the voice of a god and not of a man. And Herod, being filled with pride, was not offended at these wicked words; but was pleased when he heard them, and willing that the people should worship him as if he were a god. Therefore the Lord was angry, and sent his angel to punish him. And there came a dreadful disease upon him, and he was eaten by worms till he died.
And Barnabas and Saul brought the alms which had been sent by the disciples at Antioch, and gave them to the poor Christians in Jerusalem. Afterward they returned to Antioch, taking with them the disciple whose name was Mark.
Now there were in Antioch, other preachers and teachers beside Barnabas and Saul. And while they were worshipping the Lord, the Holy Spirit spoke to them, and told them to send Barnabas and Saul away from Antioch, that they might go and preach the gospel in other countries. So after they had all fasted and prayed together, the rest laid their hands on the heads of Barnabas and Saul, and sent them away. Then these two left Antioch and sailed in a ship to the island of Cyprus. In the chief city of that island, called Salamis, they went into the synagogue and taught the Jews. For the Jews were living not only in the land of Judea, but in all the countries around that land; and wherever they lived, they built synagogues to worship in. The disciple named Mark was with Saul and Barnabas. They had brought him not to preach, but to help them in other ways while they were on their journey.
And they came to another city in the island, called Paphos. There they found a Jew, named Elymas, who was a false prophet. He was with the governor of the country. Now the governor was a wise and prudent man, and he sent for Barnabas and Saul, that they might come and explain the gospel to him. But Elymas spoke against them, and tried to keep the governor from believing what they taught. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, looked on Elymas, saying, O, thou, who art full of all mischief, thou child of the devil, wilt thou not cease speaking evil of those things which the Lord has commanded us to teach? And now, behold, the Lord has sent a punishment upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And immediately his sight was taken from him, and he groped about like a person in the dark, seeking some one to lead him by the hand. Then the governor, when he saw the miracle that Paul had done, believed what the apostles said.
And they sailed away from Paphos, and came to the city of Perga, in the country called Asia Minor. There Mark left them, and went back to Jerusalem. He did this because he was unwilling to go with them and help them any further on their journey. But Barnabas and Paul went on to the city of Antioch; not that Antioch from which they first set out, but another city of the same name in Asia Minor. And they came into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. After the Scriptures had been read, the rulers of the synagogue sent word to them saying, Brethren, if you have any words to say to the people, speak on.
Then Paul stood up and said, Men of Israel and all you who fear God, listen to me. The God of the children of Israel chose our fathers to be his people, and by his mighty power, set them free, when they were living as strangers in the land of Egypt. Afterward he took care of them for about forty years while they wandered in the wilderness; and when he had destroyed the wicked nations of Canaan, he divided that land among them by lot. There he gave them judges to rule over them, for about four hundred and fifty years, until the time when Samuel, the prophet, lived. Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul; and when he had taken Saul away, he gave them David. And now, Paul said, he has sent you Jesus, who was descended from David. But the people of Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not know him, put him to death. Yet God raised him up from the dead, and he was seen for many days after he had risen, by his apostles, who are sent to preach to the people about him. And we have come to you, to tell you the good news, that this Jesus is the Saviour who was promised, and that you shall be forgiven all your sins if you will believe in him. Be careful, therefore, lest after you have been told of him, you do not believe and so at last perish.
When the Jews had gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles who were there, begged Paul and Barnabas that those words might be preached to them again. And on the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came to hear them. But when the Jews saw such multitudes coming, they were displeased, and spoke against the things that Paul said, contradicting them and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly to the Jews, saying, It was right for us to preach the gospel to you first, but seeing you will not hear it, and do not care to be saved, we will now preach it to the Gentiles. Because so God has commanded us; for he said that Jesus should be a Saviour, not to the Jews only, but to all the nations upon earth. When the Gentiles heard this they were glad. But the Jews stirred up the chief men and the rulers, and raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, until they were driven out of Antioch; and they came to the city of Iconium.
At Iconium they went together into the synagogue and taught the people, and God gave them power to do miracles, so that great numbers, both of the Jews and the Gentiles, believed. But in this city also, the Jews who would not believe, stirred up the people until they were about to stone the apostles. Then Paul and Barnabas fled to another city, called Lystra, and preached there. And a man, who had been lame ever since he was born, and had never walked, sat near the place where Paul preached, and heard him. And Paul, seeing that the man had faith, and believed he could make him well, said, with a loud voice, Stand up on thy feet. And he leaped up and walked.
When the people of Lystra saw the miracle which Paul did, they cried out in the language of that country, These are gods who have come down to us from heaven looking like men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercury, which were the names of their idols. Then the priests from the idol's temple, brought oxen covered with wreaths of flowers, intending to sacrifice them to the apostles, in the same way that they sacrificed them to their idols. But when Barnabas and Paul saw it, they rent their clothes, to show their displeasure, and ran in among the people, crying out, Sirs, why do you these things? For we also are men like yourselves, and have come to preach to you, and persuade you to turn from worshipping idols, and to worship only the true God, who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that are in them. Yet the apostles could hardly keep the people from offering up sacrifices to them.
But after this, some of the Jews who had driven them from Antioch and Iconium, came to Lystra, and said that Barnabas and Paul were wicked men, and were trying to deceive the people. Then immediately the people of Lystra, who before had wanted to worship them, tried to kill them. And they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. But while the disciples were standing around him, he rose up and came into the city again.
The next day he went with Barnabas to another city, called Derbe. When they had preached there, they went again through all the cities where the people had persecuted them, and they spoke to the disciples who lived in those cities, persuading them still to believe in the Lord Jesus, and telling them that we must have trouble if we will serve God, and be among those who enter into his kingdom. And after they had set men, called elders, over the churches in the cities they passed through, the apostles came back to that Antioch from which they first started out on their journey. There they called all the church together, and told how they had preached the gospel to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews, in the places where they had been. And they stayed a long while with the disciples in Antioch.