008:030 So Philip ran up and heard the eunuch reading the Prophet Isaiah.
"Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked.
008:031 "Why, how can I," replied the eunuch, "unless some one explains
it to me?" And he earnestly invited Philip to come up
and sit with him.
008:032 The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
"Like a sheep He was led to slaughter, and just as a lamb
before its shearer is dumb so He opened not His mouth.
008:033 In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will make
known His posterity? For He is destroyed from among men."
008:034 "Pray, of whom is the Prophet speaking?" inquired the eunuch;
"of himself or of some one else?"
008:035 Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same
portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus.
008:036 So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water;
and the eunuch exclaimed, "See, here is water; what is there
to prevent my being baptized?"
008:037 []
008:038 So he stopped the chariot; and both of them--Philip and the eunuch--
went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
008:039 But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of
the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again.
With a glad heart he resumed his journey;
008:040 but Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town
after town he everywhere made known the Good News until
he reached Caesarea.
009:001 Now Saul, whose every breath was a threat of destruction
for the disciples of the Lord,
009:002 went to the High Priest and begged from him letters addressed
to the synagogues in Damascus, in order that if he found
any believers there, either men or women, he might bring them
in chains to Jerusalem.
009:003 But on the journey, as he was getting near Damascus,
suddenly there flashed round him a light from Heaven;
009:004 and falling to the ground he heard a voice which said to him,
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
009:005 "Who art thou, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you
are persecuting," was the reply.
009:006 "But rise and go to the city, and you will be told what you
are to do.
009:007 Meanwhile the men who travelled with Saul were standing dumb
with amazement, hearing a sound, but seeing no one.
009:008 Then he rose from the ground, but when he had opened his eyes,
he could not see, and they led him by the arm and brought
him to Damascus.
009:009 And for two days he remained without sight, and did not eat
or drink anything.
009:010 Now in Damascus there was a disciple of the name of Ananias.
The Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, "Ananias!" "I am
here, Lord," he answered.
009:011 "Rise," said the Lord, "and go to Straight Street, and inquire
at the house of Judas for a man called Saul, from Tarsus,
for he is actually praying.
009:012 He has seen a man called Ananias come and lay his hands upon
him so that he may recover his sight."
009:013 "Lord," answered Ananias, "I have heard about that man from many,
and I have heard of the great mischief he has done to Thy
people in Jerusalem;
009:014 and here he is authorized by the High Priests to arrest all
who call upon Thy name."
009:015 "Go," replied the Lord; "he is a chosen instrument of Mine
to carry My name to the Gentiles and to kings and to the
descendants of Israel.
009:016 For I will let him know the great sufferings which he must
pass through for My sake."
009:017 So Ananias went and entered the house; and, laying his two
hands upon Saul, said, "Saul, brother, the Lord--even Jesus
who appeared to you on your journey--has sent me, that you
may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
009:018 Instantly there dropped from his eyes what seemed to be scales,
and he could see once more. Upon this he rose and received baptism;
009:019 after which he took food and regained his strength.
Then he remained some little time with the disciples in Damascus.
009:020 And in the synagogues he began at once to proclaim Jesus
as the Son of God;
009:021 and his hearers were all amazed, and began to ask one another,
"Is not this the man who in Jerusalem tried to exterminate
those who called upon that Name, and came here on purpose
to carry them off in chains to the High Priests?"
009:022 Saul, however, gained more and more influence, and as for
the Jews living in Damascus, he bewildered them with his proofs
that Jesus is the Christ.
009:023 At length the Jews plotted to kill Saul;
009:024 but information of their intention was given to him.
They even watched the gates, day and night, in order
to murder him;
009:025 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through
the wall, lowering him in a hamper.
009:026 So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to associate
with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him,
being in doubt as to whether he himself was a disciple.
009:027 Barnabas, however, came to his assistance. He brought Saul
to the Apostles, and related to them how, on his journey,
he had seen the Lord, and that the Lord had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had fearlessly taught in the name of Jesus.
009:028 Henceforth Saul was one of them, going in and out of the city,
009:029 and speaking fearlessly in the name of the Lord. And he often
talked with the Hellenists and had discussions with them.
009:030 But they kept trying to take his life. On learning this,
the brethren brought him down to Caesarea, and then sent him
by sea to Tarsus.
009:031 The Church, however, throughout the whole of Judaea, Galilee
and Samaria, had peace and was spiritually built up;
and grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and receiving
encouragement from the Holy Spirit.
009:032 Now Peter, as he went to town after town, came down also to God's
people at Lud.
009:033 There he found a man of the name of Aeneas, who for eight
years had kept his bed, through being paralysed.
009:034 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you.
Rise and make your own bed." He at once rose to his feet.
009:035 And all the people of Lud and Sharon saw him; and they turned
to the Lord.
009:036 Among the disciples at Jaffa was a woman called Tabitha,
or, as the name may be translated, `Dorcas.' Her life was
wholly devoted to the good and charitable actions which she
was constantly doing.
009:037 But, as it happened, just at that time she was taken ill and died.
After washing her body they laid it out in a room upstairs.
009:038 Lud, however, being near Jaffa, the disciples, who had heard
that Peter was at Lud, sent two men to him with an urgent
request that he would come across to them without delay.
009:039 So Peter rose and went with them. On his arrival they took
him upstairs, and the widow women all came and stood by his side,
weeping and showing him the underclothing and cloaks and
garments of all kinds which Dorcas used to make while she
was still with them.
009:040 Peter, however, putting every one out of the room,
knelt down and prayed, and then turning to the body,
he said, "Tabitha, rise." Dorcas at once opened her eyes,
and seeing Peter, sat up.
009:041 Then, giving her his hand, he raised her to her feet and,
calling to him God's people and the widows, he / 7 gave her
back to them alive.
009:042 This incident became known throughout Jaffa, and many believed
in the Lord;
009:043 and Peter remained for a considerable time at Jaffa,
staying at the house of a man called Simon, a tanner.
010:001 Now a Captain of the Italian Regiment, named Cornelius,
was quartered at Caesarea.
010:002 He was religious and God-fearing--and so was every member
of his household. He was also liberal in his charities
to the people, and continually offered prayer to God.
010:003 About three o'clock one afternoon he had a vision,
and distinctly saw an angel of God enter his house, who called
him by name, saying, "Cornelius!"
010:004 Looking steadily at him, and being much alarmed, he said,
"What do you want, Sir?" "Your prayers and charities,"
he replied, "have gone up and have been recorded before God.
010:005 And now send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.
010:006 He is staying as a guest with Simon, a tanner, who has a house
close to the sea."
010:007 So when the angel who had been speaking to him was gone,
Cornelius called two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier
who was in constant attendance on him,
010:008 and, after telling them everything, he sent them to Jaffa.
010:009 The next day, while they were still on their journey
and were getting near the town, about noon Peter went up
on the house-top to pray.
010:010 He had become unusually hungry and wished for food; but, while they
were preparing it, he fell into a trance.
010:011 The sky had opened to his view, and what seemed to be an enormous
sail was descending, being let down to the earth by ropes
at the four corners.
010:012 In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles and birds,