And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

So he stopped the chariot; and both of them--Philip and the eunuch--went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Meanwhile, still spewing death threats against the Lord's disciples, Saul went to the high priest.

and asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

And while he was journeying, he came near Damascus; and suddenly he saw a light from heaven shining round him;

And he went down on the earth, and a voice said to him, Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly?

So he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he [said], "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting!

(Now the men who were traveling together with him stood speechless, [because they] heard the voice but saw no one.)

And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" He said, "Behold, it's me, Lord."

The Lord told him, "Get up, go to the street called Straight, and in the home of Judas look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. At this very moment he's praying.

and has seen in a vision a man by name Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he should see.

But the Lord told him, "Go, because he's my chosen instrument to carry my name to unbelievers, to their kings, and to the descendants of Israel.

For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

And Ananias went and entered into the house; and laying his hands upon him he said, Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus that appeared to thee in the way in which thou camest, that thou mightest see, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he saw, and rising up was baptised;

And so Saul began proclaiming that Jesus was the Son of God in the synagogues [of the Damascus area].

And all those hearing him were full of wonder and said, Is not this the man who in Jerusalem was attacking all the worshippers of this name? and he had come here so that he might take them as prisoners before the chief priests.

Saul's influence, however, kept steadily increasing, and he confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by the proofs that he gave that Jesus was the Christ.

but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the city’s gates day and night so they could kill him;

but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, being in doubt as to whether he himself was a disciple.

and Barnabas having taken him, brought him unto the apostles, and did declare to them how in the way he saw the Lord, and that he spake to him, and how in Damascus he was speaking boldly in the name of Jesus.

So he was with them, moving around freely [as one among them] in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.

and spoke boldly for the Lord's cause, talking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews. But they tried to kill him.

But they kept trying to take his life. On learning this, the brethren brought him down to Caesarea, and then sent him by sea to Tarsus.

So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.

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 is healing you, so get up and make your bed." And immediately he got up [out of his bed, completely healed].

And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

And since Lydda was very close to Joppa, the disciples [at Joppa], hearing that Peter was at Lydda [See verse 32], sent two men there to urge him, "Do not delay your coming [here] to us."

So Peter got up [at once] and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upstairs room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing [him] all the tunics and robes that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.

But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

And he gave her his hand and helped her up; and then he called in the saints (God’s people) and the widows, and he presented her [to them] alive.

So Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a man named Simon, a tanner.

New a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of a band, called the Italian band??2 devout, and fearing God with all his house, giving many alms to the people, and praying to God continually??3 saw in a vision manifestly, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying to him, "Cornelius!"

He was religious and God-fearing--and so was every member of his household. He was also liberal in his charities to the people, and continually offered prayer to God.

He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

So now send men to Joppa and invite over a man named Simon, who is also called Peter.

He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

So when the angel who had been speaking to him was gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier who was in constant attendance on him,

And he was very hungry, and desired something to eat: but while they were getting it ready, he fell into a trance; and saw heaven opened,

And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

So, the voice spoke again, saying, "What God has made [ceremonially] acceptable, you must not consider ordinary [and therefore defiled]."

Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

To see if Simon, named Peter, was living there.

And, while Peter was turning the vision over in his mind, the Spirit said to him, See, three men are looking for you.

So Peter went down to the men [and] said, "Behold, I am [he] whom you are looking for! What [is] the reason for which you have come?"

They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man well spoken of by all the Jewish people, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear what you have to say.”

So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

So it happened that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at [his] feet, [and] worshiped [him].

Peter, however, lifted him up, saying as he did so: "Stand up, I am only a man like yourself."

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

Peter said to them, “You know it’s forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner. But God has shown me that I must not call any person common or unclean.

Therefore when I was sent for, I came without raising an objection. So I ask for what reason have you sent for me?”

And Cornelius said, Four days from now I was in my house in prayer at the ninth hour; and I saw before me a man in shining clothing,

and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of charity have been remembered before God [so that He is about to help you].

Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to listen to everything that you have been instructed by the Lord [to say].”

So Peter opened [his] mouth [and] said, "In truth I understand that God is not one who shows partiality,

He has sent his message to Israel's descendants, and made the good news of peace known to them through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of us all.

That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

It tells how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, so that He went about everywhere doing acts of kindness, and curing all who were being continually oppressed by the Devil--for God was with Jesus.

not to all the people, but to those witnesses, which God had before chosen: to us, I say, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

To him it is that all the Prophets bear witness, when they say that every one who believes in him receives through his Name forgiveness of sins."

And the believers of Jewish descent, who had come with Peter, were amazed [when they saw] that the gift of the Holy Spirit had [now] been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Will any man say that these may not have baptism who have been given the Holy Spirit as we have?

So he ordered [that] they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for several days.

The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had welcomed God’s message also.

So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision [certain Jewish believers who followed the Law] took issue with him [for violating Jewish customs],

So Peter began to relate the facts to them as they had occurred.

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:

Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

And I heard a voice say to me, 'Get up, Peter! Kill something and eat it!'

But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.

At that moment three men, who had been sent from Caesarea to see me, came up to the house in which we were.

And the spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house:

he declared also to us how he saw the messenger in his house standing, and saying to him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter,

Who will say words to you through which you and all your family may get salvation.

"And while I was speaking, [the power of] the Holy Spirit descended on them [i.e., Cornelius' Gentile household] just like [it fell] on us [Jewish apostles] at the beginning [i.e., the day of Pentecost, See chapter 2].

Then I remembered the Lord's words, how He used to say, "'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.'

Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!”

So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.

And the Lord's hand was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

And the news about [what was being done by] these people reached the church in Jerusalem, so that they sent Barnabas to Antioch [in Syria].

When he arrived and saw the grace of God [that was bestowed on them], he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with an unwavering heart to stay true and devoted to the Lord.

because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And so a large number of people was brought to the Lord.

So he departed for Tarsus to look for Saul.

And having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And so it was with them that for a whole year they were gathered together in the assembly and taught a large crowd: and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

So the disciples decided to send a contribution, each according to his individual ability, to the believers who lived in Judea.

And this they did, sending the contribution to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Now about that time King Herod began a persecution of certain people in the [Jerusalem] church. [Note: This man was the grandson of Herod the Great. See Matt. 2:1].

So he executed James the brother of John with a sword.

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

So, Peter was arrested and put in jail with four groups of four soldiers each guarding him. Herod planned to have him brought before the people after the Passover Festival was over.

So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent and persistent prayer for him was being made to God by the church.