The Early Church

And there he found a certaine man named Aeneas, which had kept his couch eight yeeres, and was sicke of the palsie.

Then said Peter vnto him, Aeneas, Iesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise and trusse thy couch together. And he arose immediately.

And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron, sawe him, and turned to the Lord.

There was also at Ioppa a certaine woman, a disciple named Tabitha (which by interpretation is called Dorcas) she was full of good workes and almes which she did.

And it came to passe in those dayes, that she was sicke and dyed: and when they had washed her, they layd her in an vpper chamber.

Now forasmuch as Lydda was neere to Ioppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent vnto him two men, desiring that he would not delay to come vnto them.

Then Peter arose and came with them: and when hee was come, they brought him into the vpper chamber, where all the widowes stoode by him weeping, and shewing the coates and garments, which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled downe, and prayed, and turned him to the body, and sayd, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes, and when she sawe Peter, sate vp.

Then he gaue her the hand and lift her vp, and called the Saints and widowes, and restored her aliue.

And it was knowen throughout all Ioppa, and many beleeued in the Lord.

And it came to passe that he taried many dayes in Ioppa with one Simon a Tanner.

Futhermore there was a certaine man in Cesarea called Cornelius, a captaine of the band called the Italian band,

A deuoute man, and one that feared God with all his housholde, which gaue much almes to the people, and prayed God continually.

He sawe in a vision euidently (about the ninth houre of the day) an Angel of God comming in to him, and saying vnto him, Cornelius.

But when hee looked on him, hee was afrayd, and sayd, What is it, Lord? and he sayd vnto him, Thy prayers and thine almes are come vp into remembrance before God.

Nowe therefore send men to Ioppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter.

Hee lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to doe.

And when the Angel which spake vnto Cornelius, was departed, he called two of his seruants, and a souldier that feared God, one of them that waited on him,

And tolde them all things, and sent them to Ioppa.

On the morow as they went on their iourney, and drew neere vnto the citie, Peter went vp vpon the house to pray, about the sixt houre.

Then waxed hee an hungred, and would haue eaten: but while they made some thing ready, he fell into a trance.

And hee sawe heauen opened, and a certaine vessell come downe vnto him, as it had bene a great sheete, knit at the foure corners, and was let downe to the earth.

Wherein were all maner of foure footed beastes of the earth, and wilde beastes and creeping things, and foules of the heauen.

And there came a voyce to him, Arise, Peter: kill, and eate.

But Peter sayd, Not so, Lord: for I haue neuer eaten any thing that is polluted, or vncleane.