Acts 11:1-18 New International Version (NIV)

Peter Explains His Actions

11 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him ³ and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

⁴ Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: ⁵ “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. ⁶ I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. ⁷ Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’

⁸ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

⁹ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.

¹¹ “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. ¹² The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. ¹⁴ He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’

¹⁵ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ So 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’s way?”

¹⁸ When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Peter probably stayed in Caesarea for several weeks to teach the new Gentile believers. The journey from Caesarea to Jerusalem would take one week. But the believers in Jerusalem had already heard what had happened to the Gentiles. They had heard the news before Peter arrived!

Some Jewish believers in Jerusalem seemed angry. They were surprised that Peter had stayed with Gentiles. Those Gentiles had not received circumcision. The Jewish believers said that the Gentiles must receive circumcision. Then they (the Gentiles) could join the church. Circumcision was the most important Jewish tradition. So, these Jewish believers wanted to keep it in the church.

The people in the church in Jerusalem may not have heard everything that happened. They had probably heard only part of what had happened. Peter wanted to tell them everything. He started his story with his vision at Joppa. Luke now recorded that event again, in Peter’s words. This was because it was such an important event.

The first Christians were Jews. Some of them wanted to keep the Jewish traditions. They wanted Gentiles to follow Judaism. In the Jews’ opinion, if the Gentiles did that, then they (the Gentiles) could join the church. By means of Peter’s vision, God told the Jews to accept Gentiles without circumcision. Salvation was for Gentiles too, even if they had not received circumcision.

The Greek word for ‘hesitation’ here is the same as in Acts 10:20. But the grammar is different. This changes the meaning. Here, it means that Peter must not make distinctions between Jews and Gentiles.

Peter said, ‘These 6 believers from Joppa also went with me’ (verse 12). So, there were 7 men in total. The Jews knew both Egyptian law and Roman law. In Egyptian law, when people wanted to prove something important, they brought 7 witnesses. This proved that the thing was true. When the Romans wrote something important, they put 7 special marks on the paper. This showed that it was true. So, Peter did not argue with the Jewish believers. He told them the facts. They knew that he was speaking the truth. They knew that because there were 7 witnesses. That was how he proved it.

The angel used the word ‘salvation’. This was important. Cornelius was a good man. But this did not mean that he had received salvation. He received salvation after he heard the gospel. He believed in Jesus and he trusted in him. That is how he received salvation. This is the only way in which people can receive salvation. People do not receive salvation because they do good things. They must repent. They must decide that they do not want to sin any longer. They must accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

This part of Peter’s report caused the most excitement. The Holy Spirit had come down onto the Gentiles! Peter remembered what Jesus had promised (verse 16). Jesus had made that promise before he returned to heaven (Acts 1:5). Now Peter understood that the promise was for Gentiles too. God gave the Holy Spirit to them when they believed in the Lord Jesus. Peter could not argue with God!

Peter convinced the Jewish believers that God had given the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles. They could not argue with God either! Instead, they praised God.

Acts 10:34-48 New International Version (NIV)

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵ but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. ³⁶ You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— ³⁸ how 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.

³⁹ “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, ⁴⁰ but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. ⁴¹ He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He 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. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues^[a] and praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

The Jews believed that they were God’s favourite people. But Peter’s vision showed to him that God loves everyone. Peter said that ‘Many people worship God. He accepts all such people’ (verse 35). Jesus can save us from the results that sin causes. Peter was saying that God lovesand saves people from every nation in the world. Where you were born does not matter to God. It does not matter to God what colour your skin is. His salvation is a gift. He offers that gift by means of Jesus to all people.

God’s message to the Gentiles was the same as his message to the Jews. That message was ‘the good news about the peace that Jesus Christ offers’. (Peace means freedom from mental or spiritual troubles.) Sin had separated people from God. But Jesus came to rescue people from sin’s results. So, now, there is peace between people and God. This only happens by means of faith in Jesus. Many people believe in Jesus and they trust in him.

In verses 37-38, Peter described the main things that happened in Jesus’ life and work. It is likely that these Gentiles knew something about Jesus. But they probably did not know very much about him. Jesus was a Jew. Before this, the Christian faith was just a part of Judaism. But now, everything had changed!

So, Peter gave to these Gentiles the same message that the apostles preached. There is no doubt that Jesus was human. Peter called him ‘Jesus from Nazareth’. But Peter also said that Jesus is ‘the Lord over all’ (verse 36). That is a name that we give to God only. Jesus is a man and he is also God. Even when he lived on earth, God’s power was in him. Peter said that ‘he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him’ (verse 38).

Peter told his audience that he and the other apostles had seen all this. The apostles saw what Jesus did in the country of the Jews. This was the Roman province called Judea. The apostles also saw what happened in Jerusalem city. Peter had already told the Jews about Jesus’ death. Now, Peter told these Gentiles how Jesus died. The Jewish leaders had wanted Jesus to die. But it was the Romans who had actually killed him. Roman soldiers had put nails through Jesus’ hands and feet. They had hung him on a wooden cross. Now Peter was describing that terrible death to a Roman audience.

But then Peter told the good news to them. Jesus had beaten death! Peter and the other apostles had seen this too. The apostles had spent time with Jesus after he had come back to life. God had carefully chosen the people who would see Jesus. They would tell the truth about who Jesus really is. They could not doubt that he was alive. The apostles had even seen him eat. And they had seen him drink. Everything that Peter said about Jesus was true. Jesus’ resurrection proved it.

Jesus had told the apostles to ‘preach the good news to the people’. The ‘people’ meant both Jews and Gentiles. (Look at Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19.) The apostles also had to say that Jesus will be the judge of every person. Nobody can escape from this. He will be the judge of everything that we do. And he will be the judge of everything that we say. But we must not be afraid. Jesus can save us from punishment. If we believe in Jesus, God will forgive us. This is the promise that God gave to all the prophets.

The Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit, 10:44-48

The Holy Spirit interrupted Peter. Nobody had put their hands on the Gentiles and nobody had prayed aloud for them. Peter did not even pray aloud that the Holy Spirit would come. The Spirit came because the Gentiles were willing to believe God’s message. Peter had told them about salvation by means of Jesus. In other words, God forgives people who believe Jesus. God forgives people who trust him. There can be no doubt that the Gentiles believed immediately. So, the Holy Spirit came down onto them. Anyone can receive the Holy Spirit if he or she has real faith in Jesus.

Peter had already said that God accepted Gentiles. But the Jewish believers were still surprised when the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit. The Gentiles spoke in ‘different languages’ or ‘tongues’. The same thing also happened at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down onto the Jews. But now, this thing proved to the Jews here that the Gentiles had received the Spirit too. God had accepted the Gentiles. They were not ‘unclean’ to him. Now the church, too, had to accept them. So, all those Gentiles received the baptism in water.

The Gentiles asked Peter to stay with them for a longer time. He had entered a Gentile house. Now he was their guest. They would talk together. They would eat together and they would drink together. Jews and Gentiles could be true friends. They were all in God’s family.

Acts 10:1-33 New International Version (NIV)

Cornelius Calls for Peter

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. ² He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. ³ One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

⁴ Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. ⁵ Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. ⁸ He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

Peter’s Vision

⁹ About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. ¹⁰ He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. ¹¹ He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. ¹² It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. ¹³ Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

¹⁴ “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

¹⁵ The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

¹⁶ This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

¹⁷ While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. ¹⁸ They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

¹⁹ While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. ²⁰ So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

²¹ Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

²² The men replied, “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.” ²³ Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’s House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. ²⁴ The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

²⁷ While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. ²⁸ He said to them: “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. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius answered: “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 ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. ³² Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ ³³ So 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.”

In verses 1-2, the Romans considered Caesarea the capital city in Judea. It was about 65 miles north-west of Jerusalem. The government was in Caesarea and many soldiers guarded the city. The word ‘unit’ here means a group of about 600 men. Cornelius was the captain of such a unit. He was a Gentile but he worshipped the one real God. And he helped Jewish poor people. There were many Gentiles like Cornelius. They hey worshipped God, mot the false Roman gods. But they did not follow the Jewish religion completely. This was because they had not received circumcision. The Jews called them ‘God-fearers’. This did not mean that they were afraid of God. It meant that they respected God and they obeyed him. But they were still Gentiles.

It is important to remember this. The Samaritans were half Jewish. The official from Ethiopia followed the Jewish religion. But Cornelius was the first real Gentile that joined the church.

One afternoon, an angel spoke to Cornelius. Cornelius was praying, at 3 o’clock when Jews prayed. (Jews prayed at certain times in the day. That was usual for them. Look at Acts 3:1.) The angel said that God had noticed Cornelius’s prayers and gifts. God wanted Cornelius to meet Simon Peter. Simon Peter was in Joppa, which was about 32 miles south, on the coast.

Cornelius was probably very surprised. He did not know why he had to meet Simon Peter. He did not know what would happen.

Cornelius obeyed the angel immediately. We know that all his family believed in God (verse 2). When some writers translate the word for ‘family’, it means everyone in the house. So, Cornelius could trust his servants when he told them about the vision. He also told one soldier about it. This was one of the soldiers who worked for him. The soldier also worshipped God. Then Cornelius sent the three men to fetch Peter.

Peter’s vision, 10:9-16

God was preparing Peter to meet Cornelius. Peter was a Jew. Some Jews believed that God did not care about Gentiles. They thought that God only cared about Jews. Jews refused even to enter a Gentile’s house. Even if the Gentile worshipped God, they would not enter. So, it would be very difficult for Peter to visit Cornelius.

But God taught a very important lesson to Peter. Peter’s family had taught him to follow the Jewish laws about food. Those laws are in Leviticus 11. They are a very important part of the Jewish religion. In those laws, there is a list. The list shows which animals and birds the Jews can eat. Those animals and birds are ‘clean’. But the Jews have to kill the animals in a special way. All other animals are ‘unclean’. For example, pigs are ‘unclean’. Jews would never eat them.

God spoke to Peter about this in a vision. Peter saw all kinds of animals and birds. Some of them were clean but other animals were unclean. But the voice in the vision told Peter that he could eat any animal or bird. The voice said that all animals were clean.

Peter did not want to obey the voice. He had always obeyed the Jewish laws about food. That is why he did not want to eat the ‘unclean’ animals and birds. But the voice answered him, ‘God says that these animals are clean. Do not say that they are unclean’ (verse 15). That lesson was so important that the same vision happened three times. Certainly, Peter would never forget it!

But the vision was not just about food. Gentiles ate kinds of meat that Jews thought were unclean. That was the main reason why Jews did not go to Gentiles’ homes. And they would never eat with them. God showed Peter that Gentiles’ food was clean. This meant that Peter could now welcome Gentiles into the church. He had to accept them, exactly as God accepted them.

Peter meets Cornelius, 10:17-33

The vision confused Peter. But God had already sent people to help him. They would help him to understand it better. They were waiting outside because Jews would not allow Gentiles to enter Jews’ houses.

The Holy Spirit spoke to Peter. Peter was worried. But the Holy Spirit told Peter not to worry. The Holy Spirit had sent the three Gentile men to Peter. So, Peter had to go with them. Peter went downstairs to meet the Gentile visitors. He told them who he was. And they told him why they had come.

‘Peter invited the men to stay as guests for the night’ (verse 23). He ate a meal with Gentiles, who had not received circumcision. They slept in the same house. Before the vision, Peter would not have done this. But now, he was beginning to understand that God accepted Gentiles. God did not think that Gentiles were unclean. So, Peter, too, should accept Gentiles.

The next day, Peter and 6 other believers went with the men. (Look at Acts 11:12.) They went north along the coast to Caesarea. It would take about 9 or 10 hours to walk there. They had to stop to rest. So, they did not arrive until the day after this.

Many people were waiting to see Peter. When Peter arrived, Cornelius kneeled at his feet. Peter was bringing God’s message. At that time, some people very much respected any person who brought God’s message. But immediately Peter made Cornelius get up. He told Cornelius that he (Peter) was only human.

This speech to a Gentile audience changed what would happen in the future. Peter, a Jew, entered a Gentile’s home. When he was doing this, he was acting against the Jewish rules. He came because God accepted all people. Nobody was unclean. So, he obeyed God. When they invited him, he came. He did not complain about it. Now he wanted to know why they had invited him.

Cornelius told Peter what had happened. When something important happens, Luke often repeats the story. Cornelius thanked Peter that he (Peter) had come. Cornelius was not just being polite. He was also very grateful. Cornelius asked him to tell God’s message to everyone.

Acts 9:32-43 New International Version (NIV)

Aeneas and Dorcas

³² As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. ³⁴ “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. ³⁵ All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

³⁶ In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. ³⁷ About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. ³⁸ Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

³⁹ Peter 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.

⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. ⁴¹ He 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. ⁴² This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. ⁴³ Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

In verse 32, Luke continues the story about Peter. The church was not in danger now. So, Peter could leave Jerusalem. He could preach in other places. Lydda was a town about 30 miles north-west from Jerusalem.

Jesus had cured a paralyzed man in the town called Capernaum (Mark 2:1-12). Here, Luke describes how God cured another paralyzed man called Aeneas. This time, God did it by means of Peter’s prayers. Peter did not say, ‘I am curing you’ to Aeneas. Peter said, ‘Jesus Christ is curing you.’ Peter knew that he (Peter) did not have the power to cure. Jesus has that power. Jesus cured people when he was on the earth. And he continued to cure people after he went to be with God, his Father. He cures people today when Christians pray in his name.

Jesus told the paralyzed man in Capernaum to pick up his bed (Mark 2:11). Peter told Aeneas, ‘Get up and roll up your mat’. Aeneas would need his bed only at night now!

Sharon was the northern plain near the coast. The news about Aeneas spread round the neighborhood. Many Gentiles lived there. Joppa is called Jaffa today. It is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is about 10 miles north-west from Lydda.

The Greek name ‘Dorcas’ means ‘gazelle’. (A gazelle is a beautiful wild animal with feet like a horse has. It runs fast and it jumps high.) Perhaps Dorcas was always running fast because she was busy! She helped many people. So, she was very popular. But she died suddenly. Everyone was very upset.

Many widows of this time were very poor. They had no money. So, they needed people to help them. Dorcas made clothes for them. When Jesus made Jairus’s daughter become alive again, he had sent most people out of the room (Mark 5:38-42). Only Peter, John, James, Jairus and his wife stayed. Peter remembered this. Now he sent the people here outside. He kneeled down and he prayed. He said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ Jesus had said to Jairus’s daughter, ‘Little girl, get up.’ The same thing had happened then too. Dorcas, like Jairus’s daughter, became alive again! Then Peter showed her to two groups of people. He showed her to the believers. He did this to make their faith even stronger. He also showed her to the widows. So, then they would know that they still had help.

When Jesus had made Lazarus become alive again, more people believed in him (John 12:10-11). The same thing happened here. Peter probably stayed in Joppa to teach the new believers. He even stayed with Simon, a man whom the Jews rejected. They rejected him because he did a dirty job. He touched skins from dead animals when he worked. The Jews said that he was ‘unclean’. But Peter did not seem to care about this. Perhaps God was preparing Peter for what happened next.

Acts 9:20-31 New International Version (NIV)

²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²² Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, ²⁴ but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

²⁶ When 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. ²⁷ But 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. ²⁸ So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a] but they tried to kill him. ³⁰ When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ Then 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.

In verses 20-21, Look how Saul had changed! He was telling the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. Saul had hated Christians because they believed this. So, it should not surprise us that people were confused. But Saul had met Jesus himself. Now he was certain that Jesus was the Messiah.

Saul was a Pharisee. At school, he had learned how to speak well in public. What he said about Jesus was true. And he had the Holy Spirit to help him. So, his words ‘grew more powerful all the time’. He gave evidence to people that Jesus was the Messiah. And the Jews who opposed him could not deny this proof.

The Jews became angry. Once, Saul had opposed Christians, as these Jews did. Now, suddenly, he was opposing the Jews! So, they wanted to kill him. But Saul escaped. His disciples helped him. Rabbis usually had disciples. Disciples followed their rabbi and they learned from him.

In verse 23, we read ‘after many days’. We know that Saul went to Arabia for three years (Galatians 1:17). But we do not know exactly when he went. Perhaps it was at this time. The north-west part of Arabia was very near to Damascus.

Saul had been away from Jerusalem for about three years (Galatians 1:17-18). But the believers had not forgotten him. They were afraid. They did not trust him.

The name ‘Barnabas’ means a person who encourages. People called this Jewish Christian from Cyprus ‘Barnabas’. He was generous and he was helpful (Acts 4:36-37). That is why they called him Barnabas. Perhaps he already knew Saul. So, he knew that Saul was a real disciple. Or perhaps he just decided to trust Saul. The two men became very good friends.

‘He took Saul to the disciples.’ Saul met Peter and James, who was Jesus’ brother (Galatians 1:18-20). They were two leaders of the church in Jerusalem.

The believers in Jerusalem accepted Saul. So, he continued to preach about Jesus.

‘He talked with the Jews who spoke Greek. And he debated with them.’ These were probably the Jews who had wanted to kill Stephen. Luke used the same Greek word for ‘debated’ here as in Acts 6:9. In that verse, the foreign Jews debated with Stephen. Luke did not use this word anywhere else in Acts. Saul’s preaching had the same effect on them as Stephen’s preaching. They had killed Stephen and now they wanted to kill Saul.

Again, Saul had to escape because people wanted to kill him. He was born in Tarsus and he had lived there. So, he went there. First, he went with the believers to Caesarea. Then he sailed in a boat to Tarsus. Tarsus was an important place for culture and education.

The last verse is where the second part of Acts ends. Saul was now a disciple. So, the church was safer. Saul had been the main leader that persecuted believers. Now the church was able to grow and the good news could spread.

Acts 9:10-19 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

In Verses 10-14, many believers had escaped from Jerusalem. Ananias was one such believer. Luke tells us more about him in Acts 22:12. But Ananias knew that Saul had persecuted Christians in Jerusalem. He also knew why Saul had come to Damascus. Saul had come to arrest believers! Ananias was probably very afraid of him.

The Lord was telling Ananias to go to Saul. (We can see from verse 17 that the Lord was Jesus.) Ananias was probably surprised. He thought that Saul was an enemy, who was powerful and dangerous.

The Lord said, ‘Go to the street called Straight Street’ (verse 11). Straight Street was very long. It went across Damascus from the east to the west.

Ananias used the words ‘anyone who calls on your name’ (verse 14). This means anyone who believes in Jesus and also trusts in him. So, that person calls to Jesus for help. Those words are like the words that the prophet Joel wrote. Peter also said in Acts 2:21. ‘Then, the Lord will save whoever calls to him for help.’

Saul was a very clever man. He had gone to a school for rabbis. He was a citizen of Rome. People respected him. He spoke well in public. He also travelled a lot, so he was used to that too.

Jesus had chosen him for a special job. He would tell many people in different countries about the good news. But it would not always be easy. Saul would suffer because he followed Jesus. This was not a punishment. Everyone who follows Jesus must be willing to suffer. Jesus himself warned us that people would persecute believers (for example, Luke 21:12-19).

Ananias obeyed immediately. He found Saul. When he greeted Saul, he called Saul ‘brother’. Ananias showed that he forgave Saul. He welcomed Saul and he accepted Saul into God’s family.

Saul had already seen Ananias in a vision (verse 12). So, he was expecting Ananias to come. Saul knew again that Jesus had chosen him. Ananias put his hands on Saul. Then Saul could see again. The Holy Spirit filled him. Then Saul received baptism in water, probably from Ananias.

Saul could not have served Jesus without the Holy Spirit in him. God would help Saul by means of the Spirit. And God would guide him by the Spirit. Saul received spiritual strength. And he ate again; so then he had strength in his body, too. The Holy Spirit helps us in the same way he helped Saul. Giving us the strength and power to complete the tasks God has for us.

Acts 9:1-9 New International Version (NIV)

Saul’s Conversion

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and 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. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Saul had watched Stephen die. He had seen that Stephen was brave and good. Stephen did not hate the people who were killing him. He asked God to forgive them. But Saul was still angry. He wanted to destroy the church completely now. He did not want to destroy it just in Jerusalem. He wanted to destroy it in the city called Damascus, too. Damascus was in Syria, a country in the north. The Sanhedrin did not have any political power there. But the Romans allowed the Sanhedrin to arrest Jews in other countries. Then the Sanhedrin had to bring those Jews back to Jerusalem. Saul knew that some believers had escaped to Damascus after Stephen’s death. Many Jews lived in Damascus already. It would take about a week to walk there. But Saul wanted to go. So, he needed letters from the high priest. The letters would show that he had authority from the high priest.

‘The Way’ was the name for the new faith. That name appears several times in Acts. For example, it appears in Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22. The early Christians used it. The name shows that they followed the way by which people receive salvation.

Saul hated all Christians. He was very angry. Later, he said this about himself. He said, ‘I was very angry with them. I even went to foreign cities in order to persecute them’ (Acts 26:11). Then something special happened on the Damascus road. Luke included the story about that three times in Acts. Paul himself told the story twice, in his speeches (Acts 22:6-16; 26:12-18). But here, the story is in Luke’s own words.

We know that it happened at about noon (Acts 22:6). The light from heaven was brighter than the sun (Acts 26:13). It was so bright that Saul could not see. The force from the light was so strong that it knocked him down. He realized that the voice was from God. But the voice asked Saul a question, and that question confused him. He thought that he was working for God. That is why it confused him. So, he asked who was speaking. The answer was a shock to him. Now he knew that Jesus really was alive. What the believers said about Jesus was true! When Saul persecuted them, he was persecuting Jesus. Whenever Christians suffer, Jesus feels their pain, too.

Saul had always done what he wanted. He had told other people what to do. Now, the Lord Jesus said that Saul must go into the city. Someone else would tell him what to do now. Before, Saul had opposed Jesus. But now, he would obey Jesus for the rest of his life. This was not because Jesus had forced him. It was because Saul wanted to serve Jesus now. Now he knew that Jesus really is God’s Son.

The men with Saul were officers from the Sanhedrin. They were like the police. Jesus Christ had appeared in front of Saul. It was not a dream. Saul had seen a bright light. This was Christ’s glory. He had heard Christ’s voice. Jesus Christ had shown to Saul that he (Jesus) was alive. Jesus had appeared in front of the other apostles. Now he had appeared in front of Saul. Saul would become an apostle, too (1 Corinthians 15:8-9). Saul had hated Christians and he had persecuted them. It did not seem possible that Saul could become an apostle. But God’s grace had made it possible.

This can encourage us. We must pray for people who hate us. And we must bless people who hurt us. We must pray for leaders who persecute Christians. Jesus changed Saul. Jesus can do anything.

But Saul needed help. He was blind. His companions led him into Damascus. He could not see for three days. He did not eat and he did not drink. Probably he was thinking about many things.

Acts 8:26-40 New International Version (NIV)

Philip and the Ethiopian

²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian^[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. ²⁹ The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

³⁰ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

³¹ “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³² This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
³³ In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”^[b]

³⁴ The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

³⁶ As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” ^{[37] [c] 38} And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Philip may have told this story to Luke when Luke and Paul stayed in Philip’s house (Acts 21:8). God ordered Philip to go south. The road from Jerusalem to Gaza was very busy. It continued past Gaza to Africa.

Ethiopia was in North Africa. The man that Philip met was probably a black person from Africa. This man worked for the queen. ‘Kandake’ was the name that people always called the king’s mother.

Luke wrote that ‘he (the official) had gone to Jerusalem to worship God’ (verse 27). The official may have been born as a Jew. Or he may have decided to follow the Jewish religion. Many people did that even if they were not born as Jews. They did not want to worship false gods. They wanted to follow the Law. So, they worshiped with the Jews and they read the scriptures.

As he traveled home, this official was reading the scriptures. He was reading the book called Isaiah. Again, God told Philip what to do. And Philip obeyed. Christians must always listen to the Holy Spirit. This is especially true when we want to tell people about Jesus. The Holy Spirit tells us where to go. He tells us what to do. And he tells us what to say. But we must be willing to listen and we must always obey.

Philip tells the good news, 8:30-35

In verses 30-31, the official was reading aloud and Philip heard him. That was not unusual. Everyone read aloud at that time. The passage from Isaiah was a prophecy about the Messiah. This was an opportunity for Philip to talk about Jesus. And Philip realized it. So, he asked the official whether he understood the passage. The official did not understand that prophecy. He needed help to understand it. So, although he was important and clever, he asked Philip to help him. This shows that the official was a humble man.

We must be humble like this, too. We may need help to understand spiritual things. Then, especially, we must be humble enough to ask for help. And we must be willing to help other people. God wants us to learn more about him all the time. He wants us to know him better. It is good to talk to other Christians about God.

The passage from the Old Testament is Isaiah 53:7-8. It is about the Servant who suffered. That Servant is Jesus, the Messiah. (Acts 3:13-15.) Philip used the passage so that he could begin to talk about the good news. Jews who lived in the first century did not expect their Messiah to suffer. They expected him to beat the Romans. But Jesus had described himself as a Servant, who would suffer. (For example, look at Mark 10:45.) When Jesus had risen from the dead, he met two disciples. They were going to a town called Emmaus. As they walked, Jesus explained the Old Testament prophecies to them. He showed how these prophecies referred to the Messiah (Luke 24:13-27). Philip did that also. He answered the official’s questions. The prophecy was about Jesus. So, Philip could use it to explain the good news to the official.

Philip baptises the official, 8:36-40

The Holy Spirit had already prepared the official to hear the good news about Jesus. Then the Holy Spirit sent Philip to him. As soon as the official heard the good news, he believed it. He wanted Philip to baptize him immediately.

We cannot force a person to believe in Jesus. The person has to be ready. The Holy Spirit prepares a person. But the person has to hear the good news about Jesus. Otherwise, he or she cannot believe it. So, we must also be ready. We must be ready to tell people about Jesus. We must be ready to answer questions about our faith.

Some people are like the official. They believe the good news about Jesus immediately. Other people need more time to think about it. People become Christians by means of the Holy Spirit’s work. But we can help. We must ask God how we can help.

Believers said the words in verse 37 when they received baptism. The official also said those words. Those words show that he was a real believer. He was not like Simon who lived in Samaria (verses 9-24).

After Philip had baptized the official, the Holy Spirit took Philip away. The Greek word for ‘took away’ (harpazo) means ‘to seize’. It happened suddenly. Philip appeared again in the north and he continued to preach there.

Luke does not mention the official again. Irenaeus, a writer in the second century, wrote that the official went back to Ethiopia. He wrote that the official preached to the people there. We do not know whether this is true. But certainly, the good news about Jesus had started to spread to the Gentiles.

Acts 8:9-25 New International Version (NIV)

⁹ Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, ¹⁰ and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” ¹¹ They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. ¹⁵ When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²² Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³ For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

²⁴ Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

²⁵ After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

In verses 9-11, There was a man named Simon, who lived in Samaria and did magic. People thought that he had God’s power. But Simon’s power did not come from God, because God does not allow people to do magic (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). Simon used magic to make people follow him. He wanted them to think that he was an important person.

But Philip did miracles by God’s power. Philip did not want people to follow him (Philip). And he did not want them to think that he was special. Instead, he wanted people to believe in Jesus.

Many people did believe in Jesus when Philip preached. They all received baptism. Even Simon believed and he received baptism too. We do not know whether Simon really believed in Jesus. Perhaps he was jealous because the people did not follow him now or maybe he pretended to believe in Jesus because he wanted to be close to Philip. The power to do miracles comes from God. It does not come from people.

Peter and John go to Samaria, 8:14-17

John came to Samaria with Peter. That is interesting because, once before, John had wanted God to destroy a village in Samaria (Luke 9:51-56). But now he wanted God to save the Samaritans.

These verses can be difficult to understand. This is because all Christians have the Holy Spirit. They receive the Holy Spirit when they first believe.

We may have different opinions about what Luke meant. But this must not cause bad feelings towards other Christians. We agree that all believers have the Holy Spirit in them. But believers can have different experiences from the Holy Spirit.

The writer mentions ‘baptism into the name of the Lord Jesus’ (verse 16). People used the Greek words for ‘into the name’ in business. Those words meant that something had belonged to one person. But now someone else owned it. That thing had come ‘into the name’ of this other person. So, when a person receives baptism into the name of the Lord Jesus, that person now belongs to Jesus. Jesus is now that person’s Lord and master.

Peter and Simon, 8:18-25

As the believers received the Holy Spirit, something happened. Everyone could see the Holy Spirit’s power. Luke does not say what people saw. He does not say whether they heard anything.

Simon, too, could see the Holy Spirit’s power. But he thought that the power came from Peter and John. He wanted it too. He had become a Christian for the wrong reasons. And he had received baptism for the wrong reasons. He wanted power over people. He wanted people to think that he was important. So, he tried to buy the power. But we cannot buy God’s gifts with money. They are free. Believers must use them to show God’s power to people. They must not use God’s gifts to make themselves look important. Peter was very angry with Simon. This was because Simon’s faith was not real. Peter reminded him that God knew this. God knows everything about a person. Other people see the things that we do. But only God knows the reason why we do those things.

However, there was still hope for Simon. Peter told him to repent. Simon would have to pray to God. Simon would have to change. He could not use God’s power for selfish reasons any longer. Peter said, ‘Perhaps he (God) will forgive you.’ Simon could say ‘sorry’ to God. But if Simon did not mean it, God would not forgive him. However, God always forgives people if they are sincere.

Peter could see that Simon was jealous. Simon wanted the power that the apostles had. His bad thoughts made him unhappy. So, it was as if those thoughts were keeping him in a prison. His sin was like a prison. That is what sin does to us. It hurts God. It hurts other people. And it hurts us. Only Jesus can save us from the results that sin causes.

Jesus said, ‘Everyone who sins is a slave to sin. The slave does not belong to a family for always. But a son belongs there for always. If the Son frees you, then you will be really free’ (John 8:34-35). So, sin is like a prison, but there is a way out from that prison. Simon saw that there was a way out from it. So, he asked the apostles to pray for him.

Peter and John returned south to Jerusalem. As they traveled through Samaria, they talked about Jesus. They talked about him in many more villages there.

Acts 8:1-8 New International Version (NIV)

8 And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. ² Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

⁴ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. ⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. ⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ⁷ For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

Verses 1-4 Three important things happened because of Stephen’s death.

1.         Immediately, Saul began to persecute the Christians in Jerusalem. He was very cruel. He even searched in people’s houses to find the believers.

2.         Many believers left Jerusalem. They traveled far across Judea. They also went to Samaria, in the north. They went in many different directions. But the apostles stayed in Jerusalem.

3.         People outside Jerusalem heard the good news about Jesus. The believers who had left Jerusalem did not hide. They were bold. And they preached the gospel wherever they went.

The ‘godly men’ (verse 2) who buried Stephen were probably not believers. Some students think that they were Jews. There were many Jews who were not believers. Not all such Jews hated the Christians.

Verses 6-8 Philip was one of the 7 helpers (Acts 6:5). The apostles had chosen them to distribute food to the poorer believers. Philip had worked with Stephen. The apostles had chosen them to do practical work. But God also used them to preach. Stephen had preached to the Sanhedrin. Now Philip was preaching to the people in Samaria. This was a brave thing to do.

Jews and Samaritans had been enemies for 1000 years. A long time ago, they had lived in the same country. But the Samaritans’ ancestors had moved north. They had made Samaria their capital city. They had married local people, who worshipped false gods. The Samaritans worshipped God on Mount Gerizim, not at Jerusalem. They read only the first five books in the Old Testament. Jews and Samaritans hated each other. They did not usually speak to each other. But Jesus had talked with a woman who was a Samaritan (John 4:4-30). And he had told a story about a good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Now Philip was telling the good news about Jesus to the Samaritans.

When Philip preached, the evil spirits left people. They were not able to control people any longer. Also, many sick people became well. Miracles happened when Philip spoke about Jesus, the Messiah. People knew that the message in the gospel is true. Jesus saves everyone who believes in him. He protects them from evil things. He cures their diseases and he gives joy to people.