Acts 9-10

21st Century King James Version

9 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

² and asked of him letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any who were of this Way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

³ And as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven.

⁴ And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?”

⁵ And he said, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the goads.”

⁶ And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” And the Lord said unto him, “Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”

⁷ And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no man.

⁸ And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he could see no man; but they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither did he eat nor drink.

¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Behold, I am here, Lord.”

¹¹ And the Lord said unto him, “Arise and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for the one called Saul of Tarsus; for behold, he prayeth

¹² and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.”

¹³ Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many of this man, and how much evil he hath done to Thy saints in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Thy name.”

¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, “Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

¹⁶ For I will show him what great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

¹⁷ And Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus who appeared unto thee on the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”

¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received sight forthwith, and arose and was baptized.

¹⁹ And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

²⁰ And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

²¹ But all that heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this he that destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither with the intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?”

²² But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that Jesus is the very Christ.

²³ And after many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him.

²⁴ But their lying in wait became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

²⁵ Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall in a basket.

²⁶ And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples, but they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple.

²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord on the way and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ And he was with them, coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

²⁹ And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Grecians, but they went about to slay him.

³⁰ And when the brethren heard of this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the churches throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had rest and were edified, and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

³² And it came to pass, as Peter was passing throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints who dwelt at Lydda.

³³ And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had kept to his bed for eight years and was sick with the palsy.

³⁴ And Peter said unto him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed.” And he arose immediately.

³⁵ And all who dwelt in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord.

³⁶ Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha (which interpreted is called Dorcas). This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

³⁷ And it came to pass in those days that she was sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber.

³⁸ And inasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he should not delay to come to them.

³⁹ Then Peter arose and went with them. And when he had come, they brought him into the upper chamber; and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them.

⁴⁰ But Peter put them all outside and kneeled down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and calling in the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

⁴² And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

⁴³ And it came to pass that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.

10 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian Band,

² a devout man and one who feared God with all his house, who gave many alms to the people and prayed to God always.

³ He saw in a vision clearly, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him and saying unto him, “Cornelius!”

⁴ And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said, “What is it, lord?” And he said unto him, “Thy prayers and thine alms have risen up as a memorial before God.

⁵ And now send men to Joppa and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.

⁶ He lodgeth with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside; he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.”

⁷ And when the angel who spoke unto Cornelius had departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from those who waited on him continually.

⁸ And when he had related all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹ On the morrow, as they went on their journey and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour.

¹⁰ And he became very hungry and would have eaten; but while they were making ready he fell into a trance,

¹¹ and saw heaven opened and a certain vessel descending unto him as though it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners and let down to the earth,

¹² wherein were all kinds of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air.

¹³ And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

¹⁴ But Peter said, “Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”

¹⁵ And the voice spoke unto him again the second time, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”

¹⁶ This was done thrice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

¹⁷ Now while Peter wondered to himself what this vision which he had seen could mean, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house and stood before the gate,

¹⁸ and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodged there.

¹⁹ While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, “Behold, three men seek thee.

²⁰ Arise therefore, and get thee down and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them.”

²¹ Then Peter went down to the men who were sent unto him from Cornelius and said, “Behold, I am he whom ye seek. What is the cause for which ye have come?”

²² And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man and one who feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house and to hear words from thee.”

²³ Then Peter called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

²⁴ And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

²⁵ And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

²⁶ But Peter took him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself also am a man.”

²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.

²⁸ And he said unto them, “Ye know that it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to keep company with or to come unto one of another nation. But God hath shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

²⁹ Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying as soon as I was sent for. I ask therefore, with what intent ye have sent for me?”

³⁰ And Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms have been remembered in the sight of God.

³² Send therefore to Joppa and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodged in the house of one Simon, a tanner, by the seaside. He, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.’

³³ Immediately therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast done well, that thou hast come. Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee from God.”

³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth and said, “In truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons,

³⁵ but in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted by Him.

³⁶ The Word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all) —

³⁷ that Word, I say, ye know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:

³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

³⁹ And we are witnesses of all things which He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem — He whom they hanged on a tree and slew.

⁴⁰ Him God raised up the third day and showed Him openly,

⁴¹ not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.

⁴² And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be the Judge of the quick and dead.

⁴³ To Him all the prophets bear witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all those who heard the Word.

⁴⁵ And those of the Circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Ghost was poured out also on the Gentiles.

⁴⁶ For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

⁴⁷ “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we?”

⁴⁸ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they entreated him to tarry certain days.