In Jerusalem around A.D. 47, shortly after Peter escaped from prison, Herod, his persecutor died an agonizing death after God placed His wrath and judgment on the blasphemous king. The word about Herod Aggripa’s horrible dead spread through the land, and reinforced the truth about the mightiness of God. “25 And Barnabas and Saul returned […]
Author Archives: Daniel St.Pierre
Acts 12:21-24 Herod’s Agonizing Death
Of his own desire, and to please Jewish leaders, king Herod Agrippa of Judea had been on the offensive against Christians. Before he had Peter captured, he executed James, the brother of John, beheading him by the sword. But, God’s plan for Peter would involve an angel of the Lord, sent out to deliver the […]
Acts 12:5-19 Peter Freed from Prison and Spared from Execution
Around A.D. 42, to please the Jews, king Herod went on the offensive against Christians. First, he captured James, the brother of John and beheaded him. Next the king sought out to do the same with the apostle Peter. However, since the capture of Peter coincided with Passover, the apostle’s execution was delayed until a […]
Acts 12:1-4 Herod’s Attack on the Christian Church
As Barnabas and Saul were at Antioch, Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great ventured against Christians as they undermined Judaism, a religion much respected by the king. “1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.” (Acts 12:1) To gain popularity among Jews who […]
Acts 11:27-30 Relief Sent to Judea Through Barnabas and Saul
Answering the call of the Lord, Barnabas and Saul preached the gospel of the risen Christ at Antioch, furthering the Kingdom of God throughout a decadent region. Known as “the cradle of Christianity,” Antioch was a prominent city and the main center of Hellenistic Judaism when Barnabas and Saul were called to share the truth […]
Acts 11:19-26 Barnabas and Saul at Antioch
Upon his return to Jerusalem, Peter faced controversy by the other apostles when they heard he had socialized and preached the gospel to Gentiles in Caesarea. The apostles felt God’s promise of salvation was reserved to Jews, the chosen seed of Abraham. However, it was revealed to Peter that by God’s grace, all those who […]
Acts 11:1-18 Peter Defends God’s Grace
Peter answered the call of the Lord by traveling to Caesarea where he preached the gospel to a group of Gentiles, onto whom, by the grace of God, the Holy Spirit fell. Following this miraculous spiritual rebirth, Peter baptized the new believers in water, in the name of the Lord Jesus, the risen Christ. “Now […]
Acts 10:44-48 The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
While he was staying in Joppa with Simon the tanner, Peter had a vision brought on by the Lord about the new covenant. IN the vision, the Lord instructed the apostle to “kill and eat” and that all flesh was to be considered good, and holy. After traveling along the Mediterranean Sea from Joppa to […]
Peter Preaches to Cornelius’ Household
On a mission he received from the Lord in a vision, Peter traveled from Joppa, where he was staying with Simon the tanner, to Caesarea, a Roman capital along the Mediterranean Sea. When the apostle arrived, he was greeted by Cornelius, the Roman centurion who had sent out for Peter a few days earlier, after […]
Acts 10:24-33 Peter Meets Cornelius in Caesarea
Peter had been staying with Simon, the tanner, in Joppa when he received a message from God in a vision, that he should no longer separate that which was considered common and uncommon, or clean and unclean according to Jewish tradition. As the same time, a delegation of men had been sent from Caesarea by […]