On entering the city they went to the upper room where they were in the habit of meeting; there were Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James (the son of Alphaeus) and Simon who had been a Zealot, with Judas the son of James.

Now during these days Peter stood up among the brothers (there was a crowd of about a hundred and twenty persons all together).

But Peter stood up along with the eleven, and raising his voice he addressed them thus: "Men of Judaea and residents in Jerusalem, let everyone of you understand this ??attend to what I say:

When they heard this, it went straight to their hearts; they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what are we to do?"

"Repent," said Peter, "let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins; then you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.

Peter and John were on their way up to the temple for the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon,

When he noticed that Peter and John meant to go into the temple, he asked them for alms.

Peter looked at him steadily, as did John, and said, "Look at us."

But Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, [get up and] walk!"

As he clung to Peter and John, all the people rushed awestruck to them in what was called Solomon's portico.

But when Peter saw this, he said to the people, "Men of Israel, why are you surprised at this? Why do you stare at us, as if we had made him walk by any power or piety of ours?

Then Peter, filled with the holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel,

if we are being cross-examined to-day upon a benefit rendered to a cripple, upon how this man got better,

They were astonished to notice how outspoken Peter and John were, and to discover that they were uncultured persons and mere outsiders; they recognized them as having been companions of Jesus,

However, to keep things from going any further with the people, we had better threaten them that they are not to tell anyone in future about this Name."

But Peter and John replied, "Decide for yourselves whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God.

"Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan filled your heart and made you cheat the holy Spirit by appropriating some of the money paid for the land?

"Tell me," said Peter, "did you only sell the land for such and such a sum?" "Yes," she said, "that was all we sold it for."

Peter said to her, "How could you arrange to put the Lord's Spirit to the proof? Listen, there are the footsteps of the men who have buried your husband! They are at the door, and they will carry you out as well."

In fact, invalids were actually carried into the streets and laid on beds and mattresses, so that, when Peter passed, his shadow at anyrate might fall on one or other of them.

This filled the high priest Annas and his allies, the Sadducean party, with bitter jealousy;

Peter and the apostles answered, "One must obey God rather than men.

When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they despatched Peter and John,

Peter said to him, "Death to you and your money, for dreaming you could buy the gift of God!

For I see you are a bitter poison and a pack of evil."

Peter moved here and there among them all, and it happened that in the course of his tours he came down to visit the saints who stayed at Lydda.

"Aeneas," said Peter, "Jesus the Christ cures you! Get up and make your bed!" He got up at once.

When the disciples heard that Peter was at Lydda (for Joppa is not far from Lydda), they sent two men to beg him to "Come on to us without delay."

So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him up to the room, where all the widows stood beside him crying as they showed him the garments and dresses that Dorcas used to make when she was with them.

Peter put them all outside; then he knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body said, "Tabitha, rise." She opened her eyes, and on seeing Peter she sat up.

In Joppa Peter stayed for some time, at the house of Simon a tanner.

You must now send some men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is surnamed Peter;

Next day they were still on the road and not far from the town, when Peter went up to the roof of the house about noon to pray.

A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat."

But Peter said, "No, no, my Lord; I have never eaten anything common or unclean."

Peter was quite at a loss to know the meaning of the vision he had seen; but just then, the messengers of Cornelius, who had made inquiries for the house of Simon, stood at the door

and called out to ask if Simon, surnamed Peter, was staying there.

So the Spirit said to Peter, who was pondering over the vision, "There are three men looking for you!

Then Peter went down to the men, saying, "I am the man you are looking for. What is your reason for coming?"

Peter was just going into the house when Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshipped him;

but Peter raised him, saying, "Get up, I am only a man myself."

To them Peter said, "You know yourselves it is illegal for a Jew to join or accost anyone belonging to another nation; but God has shown me that I must not call any man common or unclean,

You must send to Joppa and summon Simon who is surnamed Peter; he is staying in the house of Simon a tanner beside the sea.'

Then Peter opened his lips and said, "I see quite plainly that God has no favourites,

While Peter was still speaking, the holy Spirit fell upon all who listened to what he said.

Now the Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were amazed that the gift of the holy Spirit had actually been poured out on the Gentiles ??46 for they heard them speak with 'tongues' and magnify God. At this Peter asked,

So when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party fell foul of him.

Then Peter proceeded to put the facts before them.

Also I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.'

He related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is surnamed Peter;

and when he saw this pleased the Jews, he went on to seize Peter. (This was during the days of unleavened bread.)

So Peter was closely guarded in prison, while earnest prayer for him was offered to God by the church.

The very night before Herod meant to have him produced, Peter lay asleep between two soldiers; he was fastened by two chains, and sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.

But an angel of the Lord flashed on him, and a light shone in the cell; striking Peter on the side he woke him, saying, "Quick, get up!" The fetters dropped from his hands,

Then Peter came to his senses and said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating."

but as soon as she recognized Peter's voice, instead of opening the door she ran inside from sheer joy and announced that Peter was standing in front of the porch.

But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door they were amazed to see him.

Now when day broke there was a great commotion among the soldiers over what could have become of Peter.

As there was a bitter feud between him and the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, they waited on him unanimously, and after conciliating the royal chamberlain Blastus they made overtures for peace, as their country depended for its food-supply upon the royal territory.

He heard Paul speaking, and Paul, gazing steadily at him and noticing that he had faith enough to make him better,

and a keen controversy sprang up; but Peter rose and said to them, "Brothers, you are well aware that from the earliest days God chose that of you all I should be the one by whom the Gentiles were to hear the word of the gospel and believe it.

When we had torn ourselves away from them and set sail, we made a straight run to Cos, next day to Rhodes, and thence to Patara;