him, saying, Arise, Peter, slay, and eat.

And Peter said, O no, Lord: for I have never eaten any thing common or unclean.

And the voice said unto him again, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.

And this was done three times: and the vessel was taken up again into heaven.

And when Peter had inquired within himself what the vision was that he had seen, behold, the men which were sent by Cornelius inquired of Simon’s house, and stood at the door, 18. And called and inquired whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was there to lodging.

And when Peter had considered the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

But arise, go down, and go with them, and doubt nothing: for I have sent them.

Then Peter went down unto the men which were sent unto him by Cornelius, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the matter wherefore ye are here?

And they said: Cornelius the centurion, a devout and godly man, and of good report among all the people of the Jews, hath received a commandment of the holy angel, that he should require thee to come into his house, and hear words of thee.

Then he called them in, and lodged them. And the next day Peter went out with them; and certain brethren of Joppa went with him.

And the next day they came to Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and called together his kinsmen and his friends.

And when Peter was come in, Cornelius went out to meet him, and fell at his feet, and worshipped him.

And Peter lifted him up, and said, Arise; I also am a man.

And when he had consulted with him, he went in, and found them many that were come together.

And he said unto them: Ye know how unusual a thing it is for a Jewish man to do, or to come to a stranger; but God hath shewed me not to call any man common or unclean.

Wherefore I refused not to come when I was called. Now therefore I ask you, why ye sent for me?

Cornelius said: I fasted four days until this hour, and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house.
And, behold, a man stood before me in a bright garment.

And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are remembered before God.

Send therefore to Joppa, and call for a Simon, whose surname is Peter, which is lodged in the house of Simon the tanner by the sea; and he shall tell thee, when he cometh.

And I sent unto thee from that hour. And you have done well that you came. Now we are all here present before God, to hear all that is commanded you by God.
(Epistle on Easter Monday.)

And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Now I know with a truth that God regardeth not the person,

But in all people, he that feareth him, and doeth righteousness, is acceptable unto him.

Ye know well the preaching which God sent unto the children of Israel, proclaiming peace through JESUS CHRIST (who is Lord over all),

Which was done throughout all the land of Judaea, beginning at Galilee, after the baptism which John preached:

As God anointed the same Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil: for God was with him.

And we are witnesses of all that he did in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem. They have killed him, and hanged him on a tree.

The same God raised up the third day, and made him manifest, 41. not to all the people, but to us, the chosen witnesses of GOD, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead].
(Epistle on Pentecost Monday.)

And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that he is ordained of GOD a judge of the quick and the dead.

Of whom all the prophets testify, that through his name all who believe in him shall receive forgiveness of sins.

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard the word.

And the believers of the circumcision, which were come with Peter, were astonished, because the gift of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Gentiles also.

For they heard that they spake with tongues, and glorified God. Then Peter answered: 47. Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost, as we also have?

And commanded to baptize them in the name of the LORD]. And they besought him to tarry there some days.
(Acts)
Chapter 11
Peter’s protective speech. Conversion of the Gentiles. Planting of the church at Antioch.

Now it came to pass, that the apostles and brethren which were in the land of Judaea, that the Gentiles also received the word of God.

And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision quarreled with him,

And said: Thou wentest in unto the men that had foreskin, and didst eat with them.

And Peter began to tell them one by one, saying:

I was in the city of Joppa praying, and was delighted, and saw a vision, even a vessel descending like a great linen cloth with four corners, and coming down from heaven unto me.

And I looked therein, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter, slay, and eat.

And I said, O no, O Lord: for there hath never entered into my mouth any foul or unclean thing.

But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.

And this was done three times; and all were drawn up again into heaven.

And, behold, from that hour there stood three men before the house where I was, sent unto me from Caesarea.

And the Spirit said unto me, I should go with them, and not doubt. And there came with me these six brethren, and we went into the man’s house.

And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, saying unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;

He shall speak words unto thee, that thou mayest be saved, and all thy house.

And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell upon them, as upon us at the first.

Then remembered I the word of the LORD, when he said, John baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

If therefore God hath given them the same gifts as He hath given us, who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could gainsay God?

And when they heard it, they held their peace, and praised God, saying, Thus hath God also given repentance unto the Gentiles unto life.

And they that were scattered abroad in the tribulation that arose against Stephen went about as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none but to the Jews only.

And there were certain of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which came to Antioch, and spake also unto the Greeks, preaching the gospel of the LORD JEsu.

And the hand of the LORD was with them, and a great number believed, and turned unto the LORD.

And these sayings of theirs came to the ears of the church which was at Jerusalem: and they sent Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,

Which when he was come, and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and exhorted them all to cleave unto the LORD with a steadfast heart.

For he was a devout man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And there was a great people devoted unto the LORD.

And Barnabas went out to Tarsus to seek Saul again.

And when he had found him, he led him to Antioch. And they abode with the church a whole year, teaching much people: wherefore the disciples were called Christians at the first in Antioch.

In those days there came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch.

And one of them, named Agabus, arose and foretold by the Spirit a great plague which was to come upon the whole world, which took place in the reign of Claudius the emperor.

But among the disciples every man, as soon as he was able, determined to send a hand to the brethren which dwelt in Judaea;

As they did, and sent it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
(Acts)
Chapter 12
The martyrdom of James. Deliverance of Peter: Herod’s downfall.
(Epistle to the days of Peter and Paul.)

About the same time Herod the king laid hands on some of the congregation to chastise them.

And he slew James the brother of John with the sword.

And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he went on, and caught Peter also. Now these were the days of sweet bread.

And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quarters of
soldiers to keep him, intending to present him to the people after the feast.

And Peter was kept in prison, but the church prayed to God for him without ceasing.

And when Herod was about to present him, that night Peter slept between two soldiers bound with two chains; and the keepers of the door kept the prison.

And, behold, the angel of the LORD came, and a light shined in the chamber, and smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Arise quickly. And the chains fell from his hands.

And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and put on thy shoes. And he did so. And he said unto