⁵I was in the city of Joppe praying: and I saw in an ecstasy of mind a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. And it came even unto me.

⁶Into which looking, I considered and saw fourfooted creatures of the earth and beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air.

⁷And I heard also a voice saying to me: Arise, Peter. Kill and eat.

⁸And I said: Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth.

⁹And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common.

¹⁰And this was done three times. And all were taken up again into heaven.

¹¹And behold, immediately there were three men come to the house wherein I was, sent to me from Caesarea.

¹²And the Spirit said to me that I should go with them, nothing doubting. And these six brethren went with me also: and we entered into the man’s house.

¹³And he told us how he had seen an angel in his house, standing and saying to him: Send to Joppe and call hither Simon, who is surnamed Peter,

¹⁴Who shall speak to thee words whereby thou shalt be saved, and all thy house.

¹⁵And when I had begun to speak, the Holy Ghost fell upon them, as upon us also in the beginning.

¹⁶And I remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said: John indeed baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

¹⁷If then God gave them the same grace as to us also who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ: who was I, that could withstand God?

¹⁸Having heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying: God then hath also to the Gentiles given repentance, unto life.

¹⁹Now they who had been dispersed by the persecution that arose on occasion of Stephen went about as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none, but to the Jews only.

²⁰But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were entered into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus.

²¹And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believing, were converted to the Lord.

²²And the tidings came to the ears of the church that was at Jerusalem, touching these things: and they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

²³Who, when he was come and had seen the grace of God, rejoiced. And he exhorted them all with purpose of heart to continue in the Lord.

²⁴For he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord.

²⁵And Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek Saul: whom, when he had found, he brought to Antioch.

²⁶And they conversed there in the church a whole year: and they taught a great multitude, so that at Antioch the disciples were first named Christians.

²⁷And in these days there came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch.

²⁸And one of them named Agabus, rising up, signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over the whole world, which came to pass under Claudius.

²⁹And the disciples, every man according to his ability, purposed to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judea.

³⁰Which also they did, sending it to the ancients, by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Chapter 12

And at the same time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands, to afflict some of the church.

²And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

³And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also. Now it was in the days of the Azymes.

⁴And when he had apprehended him, he cast him into prison, delivering him to four files of soldiers, to be kept, intending, after the pasch, to bring him forth to the people.

⁵Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him.

⁶And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

⁷And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shined in the room. And he, striking Peter on the side, raised him up, saying: Arise quickly. And the chains fell off from his hands.

⁸And the angel said to him: Gird thyself and put on thy sandals. And he did so. And he said to him: Cast thy garment about thee and follow me,

⁹And going out, he followed him. And he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel: but thought he saw a vision.

¹⁰And passing through the first and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city which of itself opened to them. And going out, they passed on through one street. And immediately the angel departed from him.

¹¹And Peter coming to himself, said: Now I know in very deed that the Lord hath sent his angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

¹²And considering, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where many were gathered together and praying.

¹³And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, whose name was Rhode.

¹⁴And as soon as she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for joy: but running in she told that Peter stood before the gate.

¹⁵But they said to her: Thou art mad. But she affirmed that it was so. Then said they: It is his angel.

¹⁶But Peter continued knocking. And when they had opened, they saw him and were astonished.

¹⁷But he, beckoning to them with his hand to hold their peace, told how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said: Tell these things to James and to the brethren. And going out, he went into another place.

¹⁸Now when day was come, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

¹⁹And when Herod had sought for him and found him not, having examined the keepers, he commanded they should be put to death. And going down from Judea to Caesarea, he abode there.

²⁰And he was angry with the Tyrians and the Sidonians. But they with one accord came to him: and, having gained Blastus who was the king’s chamberlain, they desired peace, because their countries were nourished by him.

²¹And upon a day appointed, Herod being arrayed in kingly apparel, sat in the judgment seat and made an oration to them.

²²And the people made acclamation, saying: It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

²³And forthwith an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not given the honour to God: and, being eaten up by worms, he gave up the ghost.

²⁴But the word of the Lord increased and multiplied.

²⁵And Barnabas and Saul, returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their ministry, taking with them John who was surnamed Mark.

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