Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Acts, chapters 10 through 12. Chapter 10. There
was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius,
a centurion of what was called the Italian regiment,
a devout man and one who feared God with all
his household, who gave alms generously to the
people and prayed to God always. About the ninth
hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an
angel of God coming in and saying to him, Cornelius.
And when he observed him, he was afraid and said,
What is it, Lord? So he said to him, Your prayers
and your alms have come up for a memorial before
God. Now send men to Joppa and send for Simon,
whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon,
a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will
tell you what you must do. And when the angel
who spoke to him, had departed. Cornelius called
two of his household servants and a devout soldier
from among those who waited on him continually.
So when he had explained all these things to
them, he sent them to Joppa. The next day, as
they went on their journey and drew near the
city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about
the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and
wanted to eat. But while they made ready, he
fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and
an object like a great sheep bound at the four
corners, descending to him and let down to the
earth. In it were all kinds of four -footed animals
of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and
birds of the air. And a voice came to him, Rise,
Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so,
Lord, for I have never eaten anything common
or unclean. And a voice spoke to him again the
second time, What God has cleansed you must not
call common. This was done three times, and the
object was taken up into heaven again. Now while
Peter wondered within himself what this vision
which he had seen meant, behold, the men who
had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry
for Simon's house and stood before the gate.
And they called and asked whether Simon, whose
surname was Peter, was lodging there. While Peter
thought about the vision, the Spirit said to
him, Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise,
therefore, go down and go with them. doubting
nothing for i have sent them then peter went
down to the men who had been sent to him from
cornelius and said yes i am he whom you seek
for what reason have you come and he said cornelius
the centurion a just man one who fears god and
has a good reputation among all the nation of
the jews was divinely instructed by a holy angel
to summon you to his house and to hear words
from you then he invited them and lodged them
On the next day, Peter went away with them, and
some brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And
the following day they entered Caesarea. Now
Cornelius was waiting for them, and he had called
together his relatives and close friends. As
Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell
down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter
lifted him up, saying, Stand up, I myself am
also a man. And as he talked with him, he went
in and found many who had come together. Then
he said to them, You know how unlawful it is
for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to
one of another nation. But God has shown me that
I should not call any man common or unclean.
Therefore I came without objection as soon as
I was sent for. I asked then, For what reason
have you sent for me? So 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, and
said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard,
and your alms are remembered in the sight of
God. Send therefore to Joppa, and call Simon
here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in
the house of Simon a tanner by the sea. When
he comes he will speak to you. So I sent you
immediately, and you have done well to come.
Now therefore, we are all present before God,
to hear all the things commanded you by God.
Then Peter opened his mouth and said, after the
baptism which John preached, how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with
power, who went about doing good and healing
all who were oppressed by the devil, for God
was with him. And we are witnesses of all things
which he did both in the land of the Jews and
in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on
a tree. Him God raised up on the third day and
showed him openly. not to all the people, but
to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us
who ate and drank with him after he arose from
the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the
people, and to testify that it is he who was
ordained by God to be judge of the living and
the dead. To him all the prophets witness that
through his name whoever believes in him will
receive remission of sins. While Peter was still
speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon
all those who heard the word, and those of the
circumcision who believed were astonished, as
many as came with Peter, because the gift of
the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles
also, for they heard them speak with tongues
and magnify God. Then Peter answered, Can anyone
forbid water, that these should not be baptized
who have received the Holy Spirit, just as we
have? And he commanded them to be baptized in
the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to
stay a few days. Now the apostles and brethren
who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had
also received the word of God. And when Peter
came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision
contended with him, saying, You went into uncircumcised
men and ate with them. But Peter explained it
to them in order from the beginning, saying,
I was in a city of Joppa praying, and in a trance
I saw a vision, an object descending like a great
sheet, let down from heaven by four corners,
and it came to me. When I observed it intently
and considered, I saw four -footed animals of
the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and
birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying
to me, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But I said,
Not so, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has
at any time entered my mouth. But the voice answered
me again from heaven, What God has cleansed you
must not call common. Now this was done three
times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
At that very moment, three men stood before the
house where I was, having been sent to me from
Caesarea. Then the Spirit told me to go with
them, doubting nothing. Moreover, these six brethren
accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.
And he told us how he had seen an angel standing
in his house, who said to him, Send men to Joppa,
and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter, who
will tell you words by which you and all your
household will be saved. And as I began to speak,
the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at
the beginning. Then I remembered the word of
the Lord, how he said, John, indeed, baptized
with water but you shall be baptized with the
holy spirit if therefore god gave them the same
gift as he gave us when we believed on the lord
jesus christ who was i that i could withstand
god when they heard these things they became
silent and they glorified god saying then god
has also granted to the gentiles repentance to
life now those who were scattered after the persecution
that arose over stephen traveled as far as phoenicia
Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to no
one but the Jews only. But some of them were
men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had
come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching
the Lord Christ. And the hand of the Lord was
with them, and a great number believed and turned
to the Lord. Then news of these things came to
the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they
sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch, when
he came and had seen the grace of God. He was
glad and encouraged them all that with purpose
of heart they should continue with the Lord.
For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit
and of faith. And a great many people were added
to the Lord. Then Barnabas departed to Tarsus
to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought
him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year
they assembled with the church and taught a great
many people. And the disciples were first called
Christians. in Antioch. And in these days prophets
came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them,
named Agappos, stood up and showed by the Spirit
that there was going to be a great famine throughout
all the world, which also happened in the days
of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each
according to his ability, determined to send
relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This
they also did and sent it to the elders by the
hands of Barnabas and Saul. Chapter 12 Now about
that time Herod the king stretched out his hand
to harass some from the church. Then he killed
James the brother of John with the sword. And
because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded
further to seize Peter also. Now it was during
the days of unleavened bread. So when he had
arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered
him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending
to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant
prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
And when Herod was about to bring him out, that
night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains
between two soldiers, and the guards before the
door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an
angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone
in the prison. And he struck Peter on the side
and raised him up, saying, Arise quickly. And
his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel
said to him, Gird yourself and tie on your sandals.
And so he did. And he said to him, Put on your
garment and follow me. So he went out and followed
him, and did not know that what was done by the
angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
When they were past the first and the second
guard posts, they came to the iron gate that
leads to the city, which opened to them of its
own accord. And they went out and went down one
street, And immediately the angel departed from
him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said,
Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent
his angel and has delivered me from the hand
of Herod and from all the expectation of the
Jewish people. So when he had considered this,
he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John,
whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered
together praying. And as Peter knocked at the
door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to
answer. When she recognized Peter's voice, because
of her gladness, she did not open the gate, but
ran in and announced that Peter stood before
the gate. But they said to her, You are beside
yourself. Yet she kept insisting that it was
so. So they said, It is his angel. Now Peter
continued knocking, and when they opened the
door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning
to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared
to them how the Lord had brought him out of the
prison. And he said, Go tell these things to
James and to the brethren. And he departed and
went to another place. Then as soon as it was
day, there was no small stir among the soldiers
about what had become of Peter. But when Herod
had searched for him and not found him, he examined
the guards and commanded that they should be
put to death. And he went down from Judea to
Caesarea and stayed there. Now Herod had been
very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon.
But they came to him with one accord, and having
made Blastus, the king's personal aide, their
friend, they asked for peace, because their country
was supplied with food by the king's country.
So on a set day, Herod, arrayed in royal apparel,
sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.
And the people kept shouting, the voice of a
god and not of a man. Then immediately an angel
of the Lord struck him, because he did not give
glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.
But the word of God grew and multiplied. And
Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when
they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also
took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much as
I did. and I look forward to seeing you again
tomorrow to continue on our journey. God bless
you and have a great day.