Peter Confronted by Paul

Posted on October 29, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Galatians 2:7-21

But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor — the very thing I also was eager to do.

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

Here we will look at one last passage in Galatians having to do with Peter. I will make two comments. Even though Peter was used by God to begin a revival of the Gentiles, he was mainly a minister to the Jews (the circumcised), and Paul to the Gentiles.

Secondly, Paul thought that he needed to write about what happened with Peter at Antioch. Yes, Paul would not let Peter off the hook. He was guilty of fearing the more uppity-up Jews, choosing to eat only with them in order to make a favorable impression on them. In so doing he was guilty of hypocrisy. He was also sinning against all those he was wrongly influencing—other Jews (even Barnabus), and also believing Gentiles. But his sin was mainly toward God.

I would say that Peter, by Paul’s confrontation of him, had probably changed his hypocritical behavior. We all get caught up in this kind of fear and hypocrisy, and we need to check ourselves. We ought always to treat everyone the same, with love, regardless of what others may think. Jesus is our best example.

A Debate over the Gentiles

Posted on October 28, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 15:1-12

Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. 3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren. 4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

6 The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth [10:1-48] the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

We have seen in Acts 10:1 to 11:18 how Peter was used by God to begin a revival of the Gentiles. Then in Acts 13 and 14, Paul and Barnabus were sent out by the church (and the Holy Spirit) on a missionary journey; and they discovered that both Jews and Gentiles were believing in Jesus.

But here (in chapter 15) God allowed Satan to put Him to the test, as some of the Pharisees were saying that unless the Gentiles were circumcised they could not be saved. Hence, the apostles and elders were somewhat concerned about this matter—enough to debate over it.

However, both Peter and Paul closed the debate. Peter made his case that the Gentiles were saved based on what he had witnessed in Acts 10:1 through 11:18. Likewise, Paul and Barnabus also had great stories to tell of how God did great signs and wonders among the Gentiles in all the cities that they went to on their missionary journey.

Prayers for Peter, Released from Prison

Posted on October 27, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 12:1-17

Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. 2 And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

6 On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.” 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison.

Here is the dramatic story of how Peter was released from prison by an angel of the Lord. I will make only two comments. God knew how useful Peter was to Him so He could not allow him to be imprisoned for long. Secondly, I think Peter’s release had much to do with those who were praying for him (v. 12). God heard their prayers.

The Holy Spirit Came to the Gentiles

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 10:44-48

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

What happened here must have been a great shock to everyone, especially to those Jews who came with Peter. They had believed that Gentiles were unholy and could never be saved. But now they (all the Gentiles: Cornelius and his household) received the Holy Spirit, and they also were speaking in tongues (just as people were doing at Pentecost, which was an indication that the Holy Spirit had come into them).

Peter didn’t seem to be surprised at what happened. In fact, he ordered them to be baptized.

Peter Met with Cornelius

Posted on October 22, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 10:23-33

And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” 27 As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. 29 “That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, 31 and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 ‘Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ 33 “So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Here we see that when Peter arrived in Caesarea and met with Cornelius, he was treated like a god; hence, Peter had to insist that he was just a man. Next, he began telling him of the message God had given him—that no man should be called unholy or unclean. And this was something new to them; for Jews regarded Gentiles that way.

In the next part Peter will be more thorough in what God had told him.

Peter Gives a Message to Cornelius

Posted on October 21, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 10:17-23

Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 “But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” 21 Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” 23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

Here, Peter was given a message that three men were looking for him. And he, being full of the Holy Spirit, went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for.” I suppose we all wish that the Holy Spirit would speak so clearly to us.

When Peter was told who Cornelius was and that he was to go to him and give him a message, I wonder if he had any idea what he was to say. I think he was just beginning to put it all together—to form what God was telling him through his trance. We will see.

Peter is Given a Strange Message

Posted on October 20, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 10:9-16

On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

In this section (of which there are seven dealing with this topic), Peter is given a strange teaching through a trance. He saw in his mind a great sheet coming down from the sky; and on this sheet there were all kinds of animals and creatures, some which were considered unclean according to Jewish laws. When a voice from heaven told him to kill and eat these things, Peter protested, saying that he would never eat anything unclean. Ah, leave it to Peter to argue with the Lord!

But when the voice explained that what God has cleansed, we should no longer consider unholy, Peter apparently got the message.

Cornelius Gets a message from the Lord

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 10:1-8

Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 “Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

In this text we have an introduction for a very important mission, which will change the entire mode of the gospel ministry. It began with a Gentile named Cornelius. In a vision an angel instructed him to send men to Joppa to get Peter. Apparently, he will be the man who will somehow know what message the Lord will bring to him.

Peter in Joppa

Posted on October 16, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 9:32-43

Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. 37 And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

After the controversy Peter had with Simon, Luke (the author of Acts) sets forth, in Acts 8:12-40, the ministry of Philip; then in Acts 9:1-31, he also sets forth Paul’s conversion and early ministry.

In Acts 9:32, Luke returns again with Peter, this time talking about his ministry in Lydda and Joppa, about 30 miles northwest of Jerusalem. And we can’t be sure whether he was doing this ministry at the same time as the ministry of Philip and Paul (from Acts 8:12 to 9:31), or whether it came later. It seems to me that there may have been some overlapping.

Nonetheless, it seemed that Peter was traveling by himself through all the regions of Judea and Galilee and Samaria (v. 31), probably checking on all the church believers to see how they were progressing in the Lord. We don’t have an account of everything Peter did, except for these two incidents: the healing of Aeneas from Lydda and the resurrection of Tabitha at Joppa.

What Peter did with Aeneas and Tabitha reminds me of the ministry of Elijah the Prophet (1 Kings17:1 to 2 Kings 3: l1). Peter had so much spiritual power just like Elijah had and also like Jesus had. It was wonderful, and it was used by God to turn people to the Lord and to believe in Him.

Peter and John Encountered Simon

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Acts 8:18-23

Now when Simon [see verses 9-13] saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”

This fellow Simon had been practicing magic (some kind of divination and of the occult), but supposedly he was saved and baptized by Philip’s preaching. And when he saw the miracles done by Philip he was amazed, and I suppose he wanted to do the same (vv. 9-13).

Well, then when Peter and John also were laying their hands on some, and by that act they were receiving the Holy Spirit (and they may have received some gift of the Holy Spirit), this Simon was again amazed and wanted to do the same. But this time he offered Peter money, thinking that he could buy this authority.

Well, Peter immediately set him straight and told him that his heart was not right—that it was wicked. Apparently, some of that wickedness from his past life was still with him; and Peter advised him to repent of it so that he would be forgiven and cleansed of it. But Simon did not feel strong enough to pray for himself, so he asked Peter to pray for him. We don’t know what happened to Simon or if he was ever a true believer.