…Peter, the brethren, and the three entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his relatives and near friends. And Peter said unto them, "You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without objection, as soon as I was sent for…."

And Cornelius said…, "Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded you of God."

Then Peter…said, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that reveres God, and works righteousness, is accepted with him.

"And Jesus commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of living and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through Jesus’ name whoever believes in him shall receive forgiveness of sins."

While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them, which heard the word. And Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, "Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."

Now they, which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word…. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spoke unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

Then…the church that was in Jerusalem…sent out Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would hold steadfast unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And…a whole year he and Saul assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Now…Herod the king stretched out his hands to harm certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

And when Herod would have brought him out, the same night…the angel of the Lord came upon Peter, and a light shined in the prison: and the angel…raised Peter up, saying, "Arise up quickly." And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, "…Follow me." And Peter…followed him…and they went out, and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel departed from him.

And when Peter had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. And…declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he departed, and went into another place. And when Herod had searched for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and there remained. But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers…as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul (who also is called Paul,) for the work with which I have called them." …So Barnabus and Paul, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, departed unto Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews…. And when they had gone through the island unto Paphos…they came to Perga in Pamphylia…. And when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, "You men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation…say on."

Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they lived as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm brought he them out of it.

"And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land to them by lot. And after that God gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

"And afterward they wanted a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when God had removed Saul, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also God gave testimony, and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.’ Of this man's seed has God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus.

"Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whoever among you reveres God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that live at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they understood him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets, which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Jesus.

"And though the rulers and the people of Jerusalem found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that Jesus should be killed. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.

"But God raised Jesus from the dead: And he was seen many days of them, which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you good news, how…the promise which was made unto the fathers, God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he has raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son, this day have I become your Father.’

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Jesus is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles requested that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with envy, and spoke against those things, which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas became bold, and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. "For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.’ " And the word of the Lord was spread throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. So Paul and Barnabas shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, that a great crowd both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore remained Paul and Barnabus speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

But the people of the city were divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use Paul and Barnabus despitefully, and to stone them, they were aware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lay round about: And there they preached the gospel.

REFERENCES

Acts 10:24, 28-30a, 33b-35, 42-44, 48a; Acts 11:1, 18 –23, 25-26; Acts 12:1-3a, 5-9a, 10b, 12, 17b, 19, 24; Acts 13:1a, 2a, 9b; Acts 13:2b-6a, 13b, 14-23, 26-33, 38-39, 42, 44-47, 49-51; Acts 14:1-7.

CHAPTER 94