WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.030 --> 00:00:02.860 Henry: Welcome to immerse, the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:02.988 --> 00:00:03.728 Day 14. 00:00:04.088 --> 00:00:08.468 Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place and he came down to visit 00:00:08.468 --> 00:00:09.998 the believers in the town of Litta. 00:00:10.628 --> 00:00:14.528 There he met a man named Anias who had been paralyzed and 00:00:14.528 --> 00:00:16.118 bedridden for eight years. 00:00:16.628 --> 00:00:20.468 Peter said to him, Anias, Jesus Christ heals you. 00:00:20.798 --> 00:00:23.018 Get up and roll up your sleeping mat. 00:00:23.843 --> 00:00:25.433 And he was healed instantly. 00:00:25.973 --> 00:00:29.663 Then the whole population of Litta and Sharon saw Anias walking 00:00:29.663 --> 00:00:31.853 around and they turned to the Lord. 00:00:33.443 --> 00:00:38.543 There was a believer in Jpa named Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcus. 00:00:38.903 --> 00:00:42.593 She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. 00:00:43.283 --> 00:00:46.103 About this time she became ill and died. 00:00:46.793 --> 00:00:50.543 Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. 00:00:51.203 --> 00:00:54.323 But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Litta. 00:00:54.803 --> 00:00:58.673 So they sent two men to beg him, please come as soon as possible. 00:00:59.573 --> 00:01:03.173 So Peter returned with them, and as soon as he arrived, they 00:01:03.173 --> 00:01:04.823 took him to the upstairs room. 00:01:05.513 --> 00:01:09.773 The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and 00:01:09.773 --> 00:01:11.843 other clothes Dorcus had made for them. 00:01:12.803 --> 00:01:14.903 But Peter asked them all to leave the room. 00:01:15.503 --> 00:01:17.123 Then he knelt and prayed. 00:01:17.858 --> 00:01:18.788 Turning to the body. 00:01:18.788 --> 00:01:20.768 He said, get up, Tabitha. 00:01:21.668 --> 00:01:27.308 And she opened her eyes when she saw Peter, she sat up, he gave 00:01:27.308 --> 00:01:29.258 her his hand and helped her up. 00:01:29.678 --> 00:01:32.198 Then he called in the widows and all the believers and he 00:01:32.198 --> 00:01:34.148 presented her to them alive. 00:01:34.958 --> 00:01:38.738 The news spread through the whole town and many believed in the Lord. 00:01:39.278 --> 00:01:43.928 And Peter stayed a long time in Japa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides. 00:01:45.833 --> 00:01:50.903 In Cesarea, there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was 00:01:50.903 --> 00:01:52.763 a captain of the Italian regiment. 00:01:53.423 --> 00:01:58.133 He was a devout God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. 00:01:58.793 --> 00:02:02.483 He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 00:02:03.203 --> 00:02:06.743 One afternoon, about three o'clock, he had a vision in which he saw 00:02:06.743 --> 00:02:08.903 an angel of God coming toward him. 00:02:09.563 --> 00:02:11.453 Cornelius, the angel said. 00:02:12.293 --> 00:02:14.513 Cornelius stared at him in terror. 00:02:15.383 --> 00:02:16.433 What is it, sir? 00:02:16.823 --> 00:02:22.433 He asked the angel and the angel replied, your prayers and gifts to the poor have 00:02:22.438 --> 00:02:24.683 been received by God as an offering. 00:02:25.313 --> 00:02:29.543 Now send some men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon Peter. 00:02:30.173 --> 00:02:33.863 He is staying with Simon a Tanner who lives near the seashore. 00:02:34.883 --> 00:02:38.723 As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household 00:02:38.723 --> 00:02:42.383 servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. 00:02:42.803 --> 00:02:47.963 He told them what had happened and sent them off to Japa the next day. 00:02:48.143 --> 00:02:51.683 As Cornelius messengers were nearing the town, Peter went 00:02:51.683 --> 00:02:53.363 up on the flat roof to pray. 00:02:53.933 --> 00:02:58.313 It was about noon and he was hungry, but while a meal was being 00:02:58.313 --> 00:03:00.653 prepared, he fell into a trance. 00:03:01.268 --> 00:03:05.678 He saw the sky open and something like a large sheet was let down by 00:03:05.678 --> 00:03:10.898 its four corners In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 00:03:11.618 --> 00:03:14.408 Then a voice said to him, get up Peter. 00:03:14.678 --> 00:03:15.968 Kill and eat them. 00:03:16.778 --> 00:03:18.818 No, Lord Peter declared. 00:03:19.358 --> 00:03:23.438 I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared, impure and 00:03:23.438 --> 00:03:26.588 unclean, but the voice spoke again. 00:03:27.158 --> 00:03:30.998 Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean. 00:03:31.658 --> 00:03:34.088 The same vision was repeated three times. 00:03:34.778 --> 00:03:37.148 Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. 00:03:38.168 --> 00:03:39.668 Peter was very perplexed. 00:03:40.238 --> 00:03:41.438 What could the vision mean? 00:03:42.278 --> 00:03:42.968 Just then? 00:03:43.208 --> 00:03:48.128 The men sent by Cornelius found Simon's house standing outside the gate. 00:03:48.338 --> 00:03:51.518 They asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there. 00:03:52.418 --> 00:03:57.398 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, 00:03:57.698 --> 00:03:59.618 three men have come looking for you. 00:04:00.038 --> 00:04:03.008 Get up, go downstairs and go with them. 00:04:03.008 --> 00:04:04.088 Without hesitation. 00:04:04.478 --> 00:04:06.428 Don't worry for I have sent them. 00:04:07.448 --> 00:04:10.718 So Peter went down and said, I'm the men you're looking for. 00:04:11.048 --> 00:04:11.618 Why have you come? 00:04:12.953 --> 00:04:16.943 They said we were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. 00:04:17.453 --> 00:04:21.923 He is a devout and God-fearing man, well-respected by all the Jews. 00:04:22.583 --> 00:04:26.453 A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so 00:04:26.453 --> 00:04:27.983 that he can hear your message. 00:04:28.673 --> 00:04:31.133 So Peter invited the men to stay for the night. 00:04:31.823 --> 00:04:34.433 The next day he went with them, accompanied by some 00:04:34.433 --> 00:04:35.693 of the brothers from Joa. 00:04:36.653 --> 00:04:38.753 They arrived in Cez the following day. 00:04:39.623 --> 00:04:42.593 Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his 00:04:42.593 --> 00:04:44.123 relatives and close friends. 00:04:44.723 --> 00:04:50.363 As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him, but 00:04:50.368 --> 00:04:52.673 Peter pulled him up and said, stand up. 00:04:53.003 --> 00:04:54.953 I'm a human being just like you. 00:04:55.643 --> 00:04:59.633 So they talked together and went inside where many others were assembled. 00:05:00.683 --> 00:05:04.853 Peter told them, you know, it is against our laws for a Jewish man 00:05:04.853 --> 00:05:10.043 to enter a gentile home like this or to associate with you, but God 00:05:10.048 --> 00:05:14.693 has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. 00:05:15.383 --> 00:05:18.113 So I came without objection as soon as I was sent. 00:05:18.203 --> 00:05:20.753 For now, tell me why you sent for me. 00:05:21.953 --> 00:05:24.563 Cornelius replied four days ago. 00:05:24.563 --> 00:05:28.643 I was praying in my house about this same time, three o'clock in the afternoon. 00:05:29.303 --> 00:05:32.903 Suddenly a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me. 00:05:33.533 --> 00:05:38.063 He told me, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your gifts to 00:05:38.063 --> 00:05:39.953 the poor have been noticed by God. 00:05:40.663 --> 00:05:44.873 Now send messengers to Jpa and summon a man named Simon Peter. 00:05:45.413 --> 00:05:49.343 He is staying in the home of Simon, a Tanner who lives near the seashore. 00:05:50.003 --> 00:05:53.033 So I sent for you at once and it was good of you to come. 00:05:53.723 --> 00:05:54.023 Now. 00:05:54.023 --> 00:05:58.523 We are all here waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you. 00:05:59.693 --> 00:06:03.923 Then Peter replied, I see very clearly that God shows 00:06:03.923 --> 00:06:06.623 no favoritism in every nation. 00:06:06.623 --> 00:06:09.773 He accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 00:06:10.583 --> 00:06:14.483 This is the message of good news for the people of Israel, that there is 00:06:14.483 --> 00:06:16.673 peace with God through Jesus Christ. 00:06:16.943 --> 00:06:18.023 Who is Lord of all. 00:06:18.983 --> 00:06:23.663 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after John began 00:06:23.663 --> 00:06:29.333 preaching his message of baptism and you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 00:06:29.333 --> 00:06:31.313 with the Holy Spirit and with power. 00:06:32.063 --> 00:06:36.233 The, then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed 00:06:36.233 --> 00:06:38.483 by the devil for God was with him. 00:06:39.413 --> 00:06:44.303 And we, apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. 00:06:44.993 --> 00:06:48.983 They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised 00:06:48.983 --> 00:06:50.573 him to life on the third day. 00:06:51.233 --> 00:06:56.423 Then God allowed him to appear not to the general public, but to us whom God had 00:06:56.423 --> 00:06:58.793 chosen in advance to be his witnesses. 00:06:59.483 --> 00:07:04.343 We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead, and 00:07:04.343 --> 00:07:08.243 he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the 00:07:08.243 --> 00:07:12.413 one appointed by God to be the judge of all the living and the dead. 00:07:12.983 --> 00:07:16.913 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone 00:07:16.913 --> 00:07:20.723 who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name. 00:07:21.803 --> 00:07:26.273 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all 00:07:26.273 --> 00:07:27.683 who were listening to the message. 00:07:28.313 --> 00:07:32.513 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy 00:07:32.513 --> 00:07:36.863 Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles too, where they heard them speaking 00:07:36.863 --> 00:07:38.813 in other tongues and praising God. 00:07:39.638 --> 00:07:44.108 Then Peter asked, can anyone object to their being baptized now that they 00:07:44.108 --> 00:07:49.118 have received the Holy Spirit just as we did so he gave orders for them to be 00:07:49.118 --> 00:07:51.278 baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. 00:07:52.178 --> 00:07:57.758 Afterward, Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days soon 00:07:57.758 --> 00:08:01.388 the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the 00:08:01.388 --> 00:08:03.728 Gentiles had received the word of God. 00:08:04.478 --> 00:08:09.068 But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. 00:08:09.578 --> 00:08:13.178 You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them. 00:08:13.328 --> 00:08:13.898 They said. 00:08:14.828 --> 00:08:17.318 Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. 00:08:18.068 --> 00:08:22.658 I was in the town of Joa, he said, and while I was praying, I went 00:08:22.663 --> 00:08:27.578 into a trance and saw a vision, something like a large sheet was let 00:08:27.578 --> 00:08:32.048 down by its four corners from the sky, and it came right down to me. 00:08:32.648 --> 00:08:36.668 When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of tame and wild 00:08:36.668 --> 00:08:42.218 animals, reptiles and birds, and I heard a voice say, get up, Peter. 00:08:42.428 --> 00:08:43.508 Kill and eat them. 00:08:44.288 --> 00:08:45.098 No, Lord. 00:08:45.308 --> 00:08:49.388 I replied, I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have 00:08:49.393 --> 00:08:54.638 declared, impure or unclean, but the voice from heaven spoke again. 00:08:55.268 --> 00:08:59.108 Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean. 00:08:59.798 --> 00:09:03.158 This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained 00:09:03.158 --> 00:09:04.778 was pulled back up to heaven. 00:09:05.798 --> 00:09:09.488 Just then, three men who had been sent from Cesarea arrived at 00:09:09.488 --> 00:09:10.838 the house where we were staying. 00:09:11.498 --> 00:09:15.758 The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. 00:09:16.328 --> 00:09:19.988 These six brothers here accompanied me and we soon entered the home 00:09:19.988 --> 00:09:21.278 of a man who had sent for us. 00:09:22.013 --> 00:09:26.063 He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told 00:09:26.063 --> 00:09:30.533 him, send messengers to Jaba and summon a man named Simon Peter. 00:09:30.983 --> 00:09:34.403 He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved. 00:09:35.483 --> 00:09:37.913 As I began to speak, Peter continued. 00:09:38.363 --> 00:09:42.773 The Holy Spirit fell on them just as he fell on us at the beginning. 00:09:43.553 --> 00:09:48.023 Then I thought of the Lord's words when he said, John baptized with water, but 00:09:48.023 --> 00:09:50.333 you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 00:09:51.038 --> 00:09:55.328 And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we 00:09:55.328 --> 00:09:59.798 believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God's way. 00:10:01.148 --> 00:10:05.708 When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. 00:10:06.158 --> 00:10:10.058 They said, we can see that God has also given the Gentiles the 00:10:10.058 --> 00:10:14.258 privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life. 00:10:15.863 --> 00:10:19.733 Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after 00:10:19.733 --> 00:10:25.073 Steven's death traveled as far as Venetia, Cyprus and Antioch of Syria. 00:10:25.763 --> 00:10:28.673 They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. 00:10:29.243 --> 00:10:32.843 However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus 00:10:32.848 --> 00:10:37.133 and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. 00:10:37.613 --> 00:10:41.513 The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles 00:10:41.513 --> 00:10:43.283 believed and turned to the Lord. 00:10:44.303 --> 00:10:47.393 When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they 00:10:47.393 --> 00:10:48.983 sent Barnabas to Antioch. 00:10:49.463 --> 00:10:53.453 When he arrived and saw this evidence of God's blessing, he was filled 00:10:53.458 --> 00:10:57.293 with joy and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 00:10:58.073 --> 00:11:03.083 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith, and 00:11:03.083 --> 00:11:04.913 many people were brought to the Lord. 00:11:05.903 --> 00:11:08.873 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for soul. 00:11:09.473 --> 00:11:12.173 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. 00:11:12.713 --> 00:11:15.623 Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year 00:11:16.013 --> 00:11:17.843 teaching large crowds of people. 00:11:18.293 --> 00:11:22.553 It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians. 00:11:23.423 --> 00:11:27.503 During this time, some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 00:11:28.133 --> 00:11:32.723 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by 00:11:32.723 --> 00:11:36.923 the spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. 00:11:37.628 --> 00:11:40.088 This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius. 00:11:40.658 --> 00:11:44.288 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers 00:11:44.288 --> 00:11:47.798 and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 00:11:48.368 --> 00:11:52.628 This they did entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the 00:11:52.633 --> 00:11:54.308 elders of the church in Jerusalem. 00:11:55.718 --> 00:12:00.638 About that time, king Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. 00:12:01.208 --> 00:12:04.838 He had the apostle James John's brother killed with a sword. 00:12:05.633 --> 00:12:10.553 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. 00:12:11.093 --> 00:12:13.493 This took place during the Passover celebration. 00:12:14.153 --> 00:12:19.223 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers. 00:12:19.228 --> 00:12:24.503 Each Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover, 00:12:25.103 --> 00:12:29.843 but while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. 00:12:30.833 --> 00:12:33.653 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial. 00:12:33.953 --> 00:12:38.213 He was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. 00:12:38.903 --> 00:12:40.943 Others stood guard at the prison gate. 00:12:41.663 --> 00:12:45.143 Suddenly there was a bright light in the cell and an angel 00:12:45.143 --> 00:12:46.853 of the Lord stood before Peter. 00:12:47.363 --> 00:12:51.473 The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, quick get up, 00:12:52.163 --> 00:12:54.533 and the chains fell off his wrists. 00:12:55.043 --> 00:12:59.363 Then the angel told him, get dressed and put on your sandals, and he did. 00:13:00.023 --> 00:13:01.823 Now, put on your coat and follow me. 00:13:02.303 --> 00:13:03.233 The angel ordered. 00:13:04.043 --> 00:13:08.363 So Peter left the cell following the angel, but all the time 00:13:08.423 --> 00:13:10.013 he thought it was a vision. 00:13:10.343 --> 00:13:12.743 He didn't realize it was actually happening. 00:13:13.493 --> 00:13:17.093 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron 00:13:17.093 --> 00:13:21.293 gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. 00:13:21.923 --> 00:13:25.613 So they passed through and started walking down the street, and 00:13:25.613 --> 00:13:27.353 then the angel suddenly left him. 00:13:28.328 --> 00:13:30.338 Peter finally came to his senses. 00:13:30.698 --> 00:13:35.168 It's really true, he said, the Lord has sent his angel and saved me 00:13:35.168 --> 00:13:38.708 from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me. 00:13:39.578 --> 00:13:44.078 When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, 00:13:44.378 --> 00:13:46.208 where many were gathered for prayer. 00:13:46.808 --> 00:13:51.398 He knocked at the door in the gate and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. 00:13:52.148 --> 00:13:56.708 When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that instead of opening 00:13:56.708 --> 00:14:01.508 the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, Peter is standing at the door. 00:14:02.138 --> 00:14:03.338 You're out of your mind. 00:14:03.608 --> 00:14:08.078 They said when she insisted, they decided it must be his angel. 00:14:08.888 --> 00:14:11.558 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. 00:14:12.158 --> 00:14:15.728 When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. 00:14:16.238 --> 00:14:18.968 He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the 00:14:18.968 --> 00:14:20.528 Lord had led him out of prison. 00:14:21.248 --> 00:14:25.058 Tell James and the other brothers what happened, he said, and 00:14:25.058 --> 00:14:26.648 then he went to another place. 00:14:27.488 --> 00:14:30.398 At Dawn, there was a great commotion among the soldiers 00:14:30.638 --> 00:14:32.378 about what had happened to Peter. 00:14:32.918 --> 00:14:37.748 Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him when he couldn't be found. 00:14:37.958 --> 00:14:43.058 Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death afterward. 00:14:43.058 --> 00:14:48.968 Herod left Judea to stay in Cesarea for a while Now, Herod was very angry 00:14:48.968 --> 00:14:50.738 with the people of Tire and Siden. 00:14:51.158 --> 00:14:54.938 So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were 00:14:54.938 --> 00:14:57.488 dependent upon Herod's country for food. 00:14:58.208 --> 00:15:02.708 The delegates won the support of Blastos, Herod's personal assistant, and an 00:15:02.708 --> 00:15:04.208 appointment with Herod was granted. 00:15:04.838 --> 00:15:08.648 When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his 00:15:08.648 --> 00:15:10.268 throne, and made a speech to them. 00:15:10.928 --> 00:15:14.228 The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, it's the 00:15:14.228 --> 00:15:16.388 voice of a God, not of a man. 00:15:17.348 --> 00:15:20.738 Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with his sickness. 00:15:21.143 --> 00:15:25.733 Because he accepted the people's worship instead of giving the glory to God. 00:15:26.363 --> 00:15:29.243 So he was consumed with worms and died. 00:15:30.533 --> 00:15:35.753 Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread and there were many new believers. 00:15:37.493 --> 00:15:40.313 This concludes today's Immer Reading experience. 00:15:40.463 --> 00:15:41.663 Thank you for joining us.