Study Desk

I will show him all that he must suffer for me."

After he ate, he began to feel strong again. Saul stayed with the followers of Jesus in Damascus for a few days.

But Barnabas accepted Saul and took him to the apostles. He told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Then he told them how boldly Saul had spoken for the Lord in Damascus.

And so Saul stayed with the followers and went all around Jerusalem speaking boldly for the Lord.

The church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, these groups of believers became stronger in faith and showed their respect for the Lord by the way they lived. So the church everywhere grew in numbers.

There he met a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had not been able to get out of bed for the past eight years.

In the city of Joppa there was a follower of Jesus named Tabitha. Her Greek name, Dorcas, means "a deer." She was always doing good things for people and giving money to those in need.

Peter stayed in Joppa for many days at the home of a man named Simon, who was a leatherworker.

He was hungry and wanted to eat. But while they were preparing the food for Peter to eat, he had a vision.

But Peter said, "I can't do that, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is not pure or fit to be used for food."

While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Listen, three men are looking for you.

So Peter went downstairs and said to them, "I think I'm the man you are looking for. Why did you come here?"

Peter asked the men to come in and stay for the night. The next day Peter got ready and went away with the three men. Some of the believers from Joppa went with him.

The next day they came to the city of Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had already gathered his relatives and close friends at his house.

Peter said to the people, "You understand that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit anyone who is not a Jew. But God has shown me that I should not consider anyone unfit or say they are not pure.

That's why I didn't argue when your men asked me to come here. Now, please tell me why you sent for me."

So I sent for you immediately. It was very good of you to come here. Now we are all here before God to hear everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."

You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God made him the Messiah by giving him the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went everywhere doing good for people. He healed those who were ruled by the devil, showing that God was with him.

So Peter told them to baptize Cornelius and his relatives and friends in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

"But I said, ‘I can't do that, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is not pure or fit to be used for food.'