Thematic Bible: Gospel preaching


Thematic Bible



Now the apostles and the brothers that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God; so, when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party disputed with him, saying, "You went into the houses of the uncircumcised and ate with them!" read more.
Then Peter began and explained the whole matter to them in order, saying. "I was in the city of Joppa, praying, and while in a trance I saw a vision; a certain vessel descending, what seemed to be an enormous sail let down to me, and while I gazed at it, I examined it carefully, and saw the quadrupeds of the earth and the wild beasts and creeping things and the wild birds. I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.' "'Not so, my Lord' said I, 'for nothing common or unclean has ever gone into my mouth.' "But for the second time a voice spoke from the sky, 'What God has cleansed, you must not call common.' "This was said three times, and then everything was drawn up again into the sky. "And lo! at that very moment, three men who had been sent for me from Caesarea stood before the house in which I was. "And the Spirit bade me accompany them without misgiving. There also accompanied me these six brothers, and we went into the man's house. "Then he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying. "'Send to Joppa and fetch Simon who is also called Peter. "'He will speak words to you by which you and all your family will be saved.' "And," said Peter, "as soon as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as he fell upon us at the beginning. "Then I remembered the words of the Lord, how he used to say, "John indeed baptized in water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.' "So if God gave them the same gift as he gave to us, when we first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" On hearing this they held their peace and glorified God, saying, "Forsooth then, to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life."

and after there had been a long discussion, Peter rose and said: "Brothers, you know how a good while ago God made choice among you, that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the message of the gospel and believe. "And God, who knows the hearts of all, gave this testimony in their behalf, by bestowing upon them the Holy Spirit just as he did upon us; "and he made no distinction between us and them, in cleansing their hearts by faith. read more.
"Now then, why are you tempting God by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? "On the contrary we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that we and they shall be saved."