1: And
the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also
received the word Ton Theon 2: And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem
they that were of the circumcision contended with him 3: Saying you went
in to men uncircumcised and did eat with them[1] 4:
But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order to
them saying 5: I was in the city of Joppa praying and in a trance I saw
a vision A certain vessel descend as it had been a great sheet let down from Heaven
by four corners and it came even to me 6: Upon the which when I had
fastened mine eyes I considered and saw four-footed beasts of the earth and
wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air 7: And I heard a
voice saying to me Arise Peter slay and eat 8: But I said Not so Lord
for nothing common or unclean has at any time entered into my mouth 9:
But the voice answered me again from Heaven What God has cleansed that call not
thou common 10: And this was done three times and all were drawn up
again into Heaven 11: And behold immediately there were three men
already come to the house where I was sent from Caesarea to me 12: And
the spirit bade me go with them nothing doubting Moreover these six brethren
accompanied me and we entered into the man's house 13: And he showed us
how he had seen an angel in his house which stood and said to him Send men to
Joppa and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter 14: Who shall tell you
words whereby you and all your house shall be saved 15: And as I began
to speak the Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning 16: Then
remembered I the word of the Lord how that he said John indeed baptized with
water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost 17: Forasmuch then
as Ho
Theos gave them the like gift as he did to us who believed on the Lord Iesous
Christos
what was I that I could forbid Ton Theon 18: When they heard
these things they held their peace and glorified Ton Theon saying Then has
Ho
Theos also to the Gentiles granted repentance to life[2] 19:
Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about
Stephen travelled as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word to
none but to the Jews only 20: And some of them were men of Cyprus and
Cyrene which when they were come to Antioch spoke to the Grecians preaching the
Lord Iesous
21: And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed
and turned to the Lord 22: Then news of these things came to the ears of
the church which was in Jerusalem and they sent forth Barnabas that he should
go as far as Antioch 23: Who when he came and had seen the grace Ton
Theon was glad and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they
would cleave to the Lord 24: For he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit
and of faith and much people were added to the Lord 25: Then departed
Barnabas to Tarsus for to seek Saul 26: And when he had found him he
brought him to Antioch And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled
themselves with the church and taught much people And the disciples were called
Christians first in Antioch 27: And in these days came prophets from
Jerusalem to Antioch 28: And there stood up one of them named Agabos and signified by the spirit that
there should be great famine throughout all the world which came to pass in the
days of Claudius Caesar 29: Then the disciples every one according to their
ability determined to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judaea 30:
Which also they did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul
[1]
Scriptures were no doubt used to justify the racist and aristocratic belief of
the earliest Christian Jews that gentiles were beneath them in the grand design
of God, and undeserving of the gospel.
[2]
Jesus had already told them that (Matthew 28:19), but the strength of prejudice
is such that it still took the addition of a vision from God to one such as
Peter for the first Christians to accept the fact of God’s love for non-Jews
and the equality of all people.
Additional commentary pending for this
chapter. Questions and comments are welcome.
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