Peter went from place to place, and stayed for a time in a town near Jaffa. At Jaffa there was a woman disciple named Tabitha, who never tired of doing good or giving in charity. But the time came when she took ill and died. They washed her and laid her out in a room upstairs. When the disciples heard that Peter was nearby, they sent two men with an urgent message for him, "Come and visit us as soon as possible."
Peter went back with them straightaway. On his arrival they took him to the upstairs room, where all the widows stood around him in tears. They showed him all the clothes Tabitha had made when she was with them. Peter sent them all out of the room and prayed. Then he turned to the dead woman and said, "Tabitha, stand up!" She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up. Peter helped her to her feet. Then he called in the widows and other saints and showed them that she was alive. The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord. Peter stayed on some time in Jaffa, in the house of a leather-tanner named Simon.
+ + Pentecost of the non-Jews + +
One of the Roman officers stationed in Caesarea was called Cornelius. He and those who lived in his house with him were devout and feared God, and he gave generously to Jewish causes and prayed constantly to God.
One afternoon he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming into his house. The angel called out to him, "Cornelius!" He stared at the vision in terror, and exclaimed, "What is it, Lord?" "Your prayers and your generosity have been accepted by God," said the angel. "Now you must send someone to Jaffa to get a man called Simon, known as Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea." When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier of his staff, told them all that had happened, and sent them off to Jaffa.
Next day, while they were still on the road and had only a short distance to go before reaching Jaffa, Peter went out on the roof of Simon's house to pray; it was about noon. He felt hungry, and was looking forward to his meal, but before it was ready he fell into an ecstasy. He saw heaven thrown open and something like a big sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained every possible sort of animal and bird, walking, crawling, and flying ones.
A voice said to him, "Now, Peter, kill and eat!" It was forbidden by the Jewish Law to eat some of the animals he saw in the sheet, and these were regarded by Jews as unclean, so Peter answered, "Certainly not, Lord! I have never yet eaten anything forbidden and unclean." Again, a second time, the voice spoke to him, saying, "What God has made clean, you have no right to call unclean." This was repeated three times, then suddenly the thing was drawn up to heaven again.
Peter was still worrying over the meaning of the vision he had seen, when the men sent by Cornelius arrived. They had asked where Simon's house was and were now standing at the door, calling out to know if Simon known as Peter was staying there. Peter's mind was still on the vision and the Spirit had to tell him, "Some men have come to see you. Hurry down, and do not hesitate about going back with them, for I have told them to come." Peter went down and said to them, "I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?" They explained how the holy angel had directed Cornelius to send for him and to listen to what he said.
So Peter invited them in, and the next day they set off, with some of the brothers from Jaffa. Cornelius was waiting for them, and had asked his relations and close friends to be there. As Peter reached the house, Cornelius went out to meet him and fell down at his feet. Peter helped him up. "Stand up! I am only a man, after all!" he said to him. Talking together, they went in to meet all the people gathered there. Peter said to them, "You know it is forbidden for Jews to mix with people of another race and visit them, but God has made it clear to me that I must not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without any objection. I ask then why you sent for me."
Cornelius replied, "Three days ago I was praying in my house, it was afternoon, when I suddenly saw a man in front of me in shining robes. He said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your gifts have been accepted as sacrifice in the sight of God. So now you must send to Jaffa for Simon known as Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.'
So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. So now we are all gathered here to hear what message God has given you for us."
Peter addressed them: "The truth I have now come to realize is that God does not have favorites, but that anyone of any nation who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to Him." Peter spoke to them about the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ, Who is the Lord of all. He concluded, "It is to Him that all the prophets bear this witness: all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through His Name."
Even as Peter spoke, the Holy Spirit came down on all those listening to him. Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be poured out on pagans also - since they could hear them speaking foreign languages and praising the greatness of God. Peter himself asked, "Can anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we have?" He then gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward they begged him to stay on for some days.
But many of the Jews who had become Christian did not like the idea of accepting non-Jews at all. And among those who were willing to accept them, many wanted to put them all under the Jewish Law.
|
