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The Fear of the Lord

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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="ACT.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">Saul&#8217;s Conversion</div><div class="p"> 1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord&#8217;s disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, &#8220;Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5&#8220;Who are you, Lord?&#8221; Saul asked.</div><div class="p"> &#8220;I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,&#8221; he replied. 6&#8220;Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.</div><div class="p"> 10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, &#8220;Ananias!&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Yes, Lord,&#8221; he answered.</div><div class="p"> 11The Lord told him, &#8220;Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13&#8220;Lord,&#8221; Ananias answered, &#8220;I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15But the Lord said to Ananias, &#8220;Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, &#8220;Brother Saul, the Lord&#8212;Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here&#8212;has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.&#8221; 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul&#8217;s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.</div><div class="s1">Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem</div><div class="p">Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, &#8220;Isn&#8217;t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn&#8217;t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?&#8221; 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.</div><div class="p"> 23After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.</div><div class="p"> 26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,#9:29 That is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture but they tried to kill him. 30When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.</div><div class="p"> 31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.</div><div class="s1">Aeneas and Dorcas</div><div class="p"> 32As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord&#8217;s people who lived in Lydda. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34&#8220;Aeneas,&#8221; Peter said to him, &#8220;Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.&#8221; Immediately Aeneas got up. 35All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, &#8220;Please come at once!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 39Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.</div><div class="p"> 40Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, &#8220;Tabitha, get up.&#8221; She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="ACT.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="s1">Cornelius Calls for Peter</div><div class="p"> 1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, &#8220;Cornelius!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Cornelius stared at him in fear. &#8220;What is it, Lord?&#8221; he asked.</div><div class="p">The angel answered, &#8220;Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.</div><div class="s1">Peter&#8217;s Vision</div><div class="p"> 9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13Then a voice told him, &#8220;Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14&#8220;Surely not, Lord!&#8221; Peter replied. &#8220;I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15The voice spoke to him a second time, &#8220;Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.</div><div class="p"> 17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon&#8217;s house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.</div><div class="p"> 19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, &#8220;Simon, three#10:19 One early manuscript two; other manuscripts do not have the number. men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Peter went down and said to the men, &#8220;I&#8217;m the one you&#8217;re looking for. Why have you come?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22The men replied, &#8220;We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.&#8221; 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.</div><div class="s1">Peter at Cornelius&#8217;s House</div><div class="p">The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26But Peter made him get up. &#8220;Stand up,&#8221; he said, &#8220;I am only a man myself.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: &#8220;You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30Cornelius answered: &#8220;Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, &#8216;Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.&#8217; 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34Then Peter began to speak: &#8220;I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached&#8212; 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.</div><div class="p"> 39&#8220;We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen&#8212;by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues#10:46 Or other languages and praising God.</div><div class="p">Then Peter said, 47&#8220;Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.&#8221; 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="ACT.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">Peter Explains His Actions</div><div class="p"> 1The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3and said, &#8220;You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5&#8220;I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7Then I heard a voice telling me, &#8216;Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;I replied, &#8216;Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 9&#8220;The voice spoke from heaven a second time, &#8216;Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.&#8217; 10This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.</div><div class="p"> 11&#8220;Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man&#8217;s house. 13He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, &#8216;Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 15&#8220;As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: &#8216;John baptized with#11:16 Or in water, but you will be baptized with#11:16 Or in the Holy Spirit.&#8217; 17So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God&#8217;s way?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, &#8220;So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Church in Antioch</div><div class="p"> 19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord&#8217;s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 22News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.</div><div class="p"> 27During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.</div>
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