They entered the city, and they went up to the upper room which was now their fixed place for meeting. Their names were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James.

It was on one of these days that Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren--the entire number of persons present being about 120--and said,

Peter however, together with the Eleven, stood up and addressed them in a loud voice. "Men of Judaea, and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem," he said, "be in no uncertainty about this matter but pay attention to what I say.

Stung to the heart by these words, they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, "Brethren, what are we to do?"

"Repent," replied Peter, "and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

One day Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the hour of prayer--the ninth hour--and, just then,

Seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he asked them for alms.

Peter fixing his eyes on him, as John did also, said, "Look at us."

"I have no silver or gold," Peter said, "but what I have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene-- walk!"

Then taking his hand Peter lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened.

While he still clung to Peter and John, the people, awe-struck, ran up crowding round them in what was known as Solomon's Portico.

Peter, seeing this, spoke to the people. "Israelites," he said, "why do you wonder at this man? Or why gaze at us, as though by any power or piety of our own we had enabled him to walk?

Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he replied, "Rulers and Elders of the people,

As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly outspoken--and also discovered that they were illiterate persons, untrained in the schools--they were surprised; and now they recognized them as having been with Jesus.

But Peter and John replied, "Judge whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you instead of listening to God.

"Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan taken possession of your heart, that you should try to deceive the Holy Spirit and dishonestly keep back part of the price paid you for this land?

Peter at once questioned her. "Tell me," he said, "whether you sold the land for so much." "Yes," she replied, "for so much."

"How was it," replied Peter, "that you two agreed to try an experiment upon the Spirit of the Lord? The men who have buried your husband are already at the door, and they will carry you out."

so that they would even bring out their sick friends into the streets and lay them on light couches or mats, in order that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or other of them.

Peter and the other Apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than man.

When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them.

"Perish your money and yourself," replied Peter, "because you have imagined that you can obtain God's free gift with money!

Now Peter, as he went to town after town, came down also to God's people at Lud.

Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you. Rise and make your own bed." He at once rose to his feet.

Lud, however, being near Jaffa, the disciples, who had heard that Peter was at Lud, sent two men to him with an urgent request that he would come across to them without delay.

So Peter rose and went with them. On his arrival they took him upstairs, and the widow women all came and stood by his side, weeping and showing him the underclothing and cloaks and garments of all kinds which Dorcas used to make while she was still with them.

Peter, however, putting every one out of the room, knelt down and prayed, and then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, rise." Dorcas at once opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, sat up.

and Peter remained for a considerable time at Jaffa, staying at the house of a man called Simon, a tanner.

And now send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.

The next day, while they were still on their journey and were getting near the town, about noon Peter went up on the house-top to pray.

and a voice came to him which said, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat."

While Peter was greatly perplexed as to the meaning of the vision which he had seen, just then the men sent by Cornelius, having by inquiry found out Simon's house,

had come to the door and had called the servant, and were asking, "Is Simon, surnamed Peter, staying here?"

And Peter was still earnestly thinking over the vision, when the Spirit said to him, "Three men are now inquiring for you.

So Peter went down and said to the men, "I am the Simon you are inquiring for. What is the reason of your coming?"

Upon hearing this, Peter invited them in, and gave them a lodging. The next day he set out with them, some of the brethren from Jaffa going with him,

When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him, and threw himself at his feet to do him homage.

But Peter lifted him up. "Stand up," he said; "I myself also am but a man."

So Peter went in and conversed with him, and found a large company assembled.

He said to them, "You know better than most that a Jew is strictly forbidden to associate with a Gentile or visit him; but God has taught me to call no one unholy or unclean.

Send therefore to Jaffa, and invite Simon, surnamed Peter, to come here. He is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, close to the sea.'

Then Peter began to speak. "I clearly see," he said, "that God makes no distinctions between one man and another;

While Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message.

And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that on the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out.

For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said,

and, when Peter returned to Jerusalem, the champions of circumcision found fault with him.

Peter, however, explained the whole matter to them from the beginning.

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

Then he described to us how he had seen the angel come and enter his house and say, "'Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.

"And," said Peter, "no sooner had I begun to speak than the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon us at the first.

This statement of Peter's silenced his opponents. They extolled the goodness of God, and said, "So, then, to the Gentiles also God has given the repentance which leads to Life."

Finding that this gratified the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also; these being the days of Unleavened Bread.

So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer was offered to God by the Church on his behalf.

Now when Herod was on the point of taking him out of prison, that very night Peter was asleep between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards were on duty outside the door.

Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell; and, striking Peter on the side, he woke him and said, "Rise quickly." Instantly the chains dropped off his wrists.

So Peter went out, following him, yet could not believe that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that he saw a vision.

Peter coming to himself said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating."

and recognizing Peter's voice, for very joy she did not open the door, but ran in and told them that Peter was standing there.

Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, until at last they opened the door and saw that it was really he, and were filled with amazement.

When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers, as to what could possibly have become of Peter.

and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet. "It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe.

When, at last, we had torn ourselves away and had set sail, we ran in a straight course to Cos; the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.