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(Acts of Ap. 9.36-43; 10 1-48)
Peter raises a woman to life in Jaffa
At Jaffa there was a woman disciple called Tabitha, or Dorcas in Greek, who never tired of doing good or giving in charity. But the time came when she got ill and died, and they washed her and laid her in a room upstairs. Lydda is not far from Jaffa, so when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men with an urgent message for him "Come and visit us as soon as possible". Peter went back with them straightaway, and on his arrival they took him to the upstairs room, where all the widows stood round him in tears, showing him tunics and other clothes Dorcas had made when she was with them. Peter sent them all out of the room and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the dead woman and said, "Tabitha, stand up". She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up. Peter helped her to her feet, then he called in the saints and widows and showed them she was alive. The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord. Peter stayed on some time in Jaffa, lodging with a leather-tanner called Simon.
Peter visits a Roman centurion
One of the centurions of the Italica cohort stationed in Ceasarea was called Cornelius. He and the whole of his household were devout and God-fearing and he gave generously to Jewish causes and prayed constantly to God. One day at about the ninth hour he had a vision in which he distinctly saw the angel of God come into his house and call out to him, "Cornelius!" He stared at the vision in terror and exclaimed, "What is it , Lord?" "Your offering of prayers and alms" the angel answered "has been accepted by God. Now you must send someone to Jaffa and fetch a man called Simon, known as Peter, who is lodging with Simon the tanner whose house is by the sea." When the angel who said this had gone, Cornelius called two of the slaves and a devout soldier of his staff, told them what had happened, and sent them off to Jaffa. Next day, while they were still on their journey and had only a short distance to go before reaching Jaffa, Peter went to the housetop at about the sixth hour to pray. He felt hungry and was looking forward to his meal, but before it was ready he fell into a trance and saw heaven thrown open and something like a big sheet being let down to earth by its four corners; it contained every possible sort of animal and bird, walking, crawling or flying ones. A voice then said to him, "Now, Peter; kill and eat!" But Peter answered. "Certainly not, Lord; I have never eaten anything profane or unclean". Again a second time a voice spoke to him, "What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane". This was repeated three times, and then suddenly the container was drawn up to heaven again.
Peter was still worrying over the meaning of the vision he had seen, when the men sent by Cornelius arrived. They had asked where Simon' s house was and they were now standing at the door, calling out to know if the Simon known as Peter was lodging there. Peter's mind was still on the vision and the Spirit had to tell him, "Some men have come to see you. Hurry down, and do not hesitate about going back with them; it was I who told them to come". Peter went down and said to them, "I am the one you are looking for; why have you come?" They said "The centurion Cornelius, who is upright and God-fearing man, highly regarded by the entire Jewish people , was directed by the holy angel to send for you and bring you to his house and to listen to what you have to say." So Peter asked them in and gave them lodging. Next day, he was ready to go off with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Jaffa. They reached Ceasarea the following day, and Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. "Stand up," he said "I am only a man after all!" Talking together they went in to meet all the people assembled there, and Peter said to them, "You know it is forbidden for Jews to mix with people of another race and visit them, but God had made it clear to me that I must not call anyone profane pr unclean. That is why I made no objection to coming when I was sent for; but I should like to know exactly why you sent for me." Cornelius replied, "Three days ago I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, when I suddenly saw a man in front of me in shining robes. He said, "Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been accepted as a sacrifice in the sight of God; so now you must send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter who is lodging in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea." So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough top come. Here we are, assembled I front of you to hear what message God has given you for us." Then Peter addressed them: "The truth I have now come to realize" he said "is that God does not have favorites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God an does what is right is acceptable to him."
"It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ - but Jesus is Lord of all men. You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee , after John had been preaching baptism. God has anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging on a tree , yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God has chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses - we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead - and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name." While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit came down on all the listeners. Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were all astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be poured out on the pagans too, since they could hear them speaking languages and proclaiming the greatness of God. Peter himself then said, "Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we have?" He then gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
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