But I said, &#8216;Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean<n id="1" /> has ever entered my mouth!&#8217;

At that<n id="1" /> the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near<n id="2" /> Paul<n id="3" /> to strike<n id="4" /> him on the mouth.

But the things God foretold<n id="1" /> long ago through<n id="2" /> all the prophets &#8211; that his Christ<n id="3" /> would suffer &#8211; he has fulfilled in this way.

<p class="bodytext">Then Peter started speaking:<n id="1" /> &#8220;I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people,<n id="2" />

This one<n id="1" /> heaven must<n id="2" /> receive until the time all things are restored,<n id="3" /> which God declared<n id="4" /> from times long ago<n id="5" /> through his holy prophets.

who said by the Holy Spirit through<n id="1" /> your servant David our forefather,<n id="2" />p> <p class="otpoetry">&#8216;<b><i>Why do the nationsi>b><n id="3" /> <b><i>rage,i>b><n id="4" />p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and the peoples plot foolishi>b><n id="5" /> <b><i>things?i>b>p>

So Philip started speaking,<n id="1" /> and beginning with this scripture<n id="2" /> proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him.

&#8220;Brothers,<n id="1" /> the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through<n id="2" /> David concerning Judas &#8211; who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus &#8211;

Now the passage of scripture the man<n id="1" /> was reading was this:p> <p class="otpoetry">&#8220;<b><i>He was led like a sheep to slaughter,i>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,i>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>so he didi>b><n id="2" /> <i><b>not open his mouthb>.i>p>

But just as Paul was about to speak,<n id="1" /> Gallio said to the Jews, &#8220;If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy,<n id="2" /> I would have been justified in accepting the complaint<n id="3" /> of you Jews,<n id="4" />

Then he said, &#8216;The God of our ancestors<n id="1" /> has already chosen<n id="2" /> you to know his will, to see<n id="3" /> the Righteous One,<n id="4" /> and to hear a command<n id="5" /> from his mouth,

After there had been much debate,<n id="1" /> Peter stood up and said to them, &#8220;Brothers, you know that some time ago<n id="2" /> God chose<n id="3" /> me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message<n id="4" /> of the gospel<n id="5" /> and believe.<n id="6" />